GOOD HOPE, Ala. — Good Hope senior cheerleader Lexi Doss made a lot of incredible memories during her Raider career and feels blessed to have cheered alongside a lot of talented teammates.
“Some of my favorite memories from cheer were making it on ESPN, cheering for the Lady Raiders when they won state, all the many car rides with my littles, cheering on Friday nights, going to Nationals at Disney, and all the many laughs,” Doss said. “During my time as a cheerleader, I’ve learned three very important things. Respect is given where respect is earned, so as long as you treat others with respect, they should do the same in return. Another one is that it truly takes a village, and I couldn’t be more grateful for mine. Last, I learned that God does not give you a battle you can’t handle. He knows your strengths and sees your capabilities, so you just have to trust in Him. Learning that has been extremely beneficial in helping me to not worry about my own will for my life, but instead letting God’s will be done.”
She added,
“Cheering alongside so many great people has truly formed me into a much better person. They pushed me to be my best and have been there for me throughout every circumstance in the last few years. I am beyond grateful for each of them, because without them, I would not be where I am today. The love I have for them is unmatched. This year, especially, I absolutely loved being able to take the younger girls under my wing, and those exact same girls are the same ones who have made me a better person in the end. I couldn’t have done it without them. They taught me many lessons and became one of my biggest blessings. They kept me on my toes, and there truly was never a dull moment.”
She cheered under some incredible coaches during her career, and one of her coaches completely changed her life. She will deeply miss cheering at Good Hope next year.
“I am so grateful to have had some great coaches. They taught me so many things on and off the mat. I am extremely grateful for Josh Stancil. From competition cheer to high school cheer, he has been the coach to not only push me the most but has also been a father figure that taught me so much about the Lord. He always checked in on me and has helped shape me into the Christian that I am today. I hope he knows just how grateful I am for his contributions to my successes,” she said. “Some of the things I will miss the most are Friday nights, my teammates, competing, wearing Raiders across my chest, and being a role model for the younger girls. I have absolutely loved being so blessed to represent my school and community, and I will miss it dearly.”
Lexi will take away so much from cheering at Good Hope and loved being a role model for so many young girls.
“My biggest takeaways from cheering at Good Hope will definitely be the friendships, the life lessons, and the memories I have made over the past 13 years. They have been nothing short of amazing, because Good Hope is truly a special place. The community support along with the family-type atmosphere is something I will forever be grateful for. I will miss Good Hope so much,” she said. “Being a good role model for so many young girls were the most important thing to me about being a Good Hope varsity cheerleader and was a responsibility I didn’t take lightly. I remember being younger and looking up to the varsity cheerleaders and wanting to be just like them one day. After being blessed enough to accomplish that childhood dream, I wanted the exact same for the younger girls. The support and love from the younger girls was one of my favorite parts of being a cheerleader. I absolutely loved being a role model for them, and I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. I hope I made my childhood self proud.”
Lexi participated in a handful of clubs and made a lot of great memories during those experiences as well.
“I was involved in the National Honor Society, Leo Club, FCCLA, Diamond Dolls, and the Heritage Yearbook Staff. Even though it got a little stressful sometimes, it was so much fun. I absolutely loved being involved, volunteering, and representing my school at various events. The people are truly what made the clubs so special. There were so many fun moments and unforgettable memories that I thank God for daily. Some of my favorite memories were the National Honor Society induction, where my parents and grandmother got to pin me, the Cullman County Leadership Conference, and taking part in making the 2024 yearbook my senior year.” she said.
Good Hope will always hold a very special place in Lexi’s heart and part of her will definitely miss being there when school starts back up in August.
“Good Hope has been such a special place to go to. The community is so supportive and involved, and the family-like environment is like no other. The teachers treat us as their own and never fail to make you feel both seen and valued. Another thing that makes it so special is that most of my family were also Good Hope alumni, including my father. I wouldn’t have rather spent my last 13 years anywhere else,” she said. “I will remember all of the fun memories, laughs, and milestones, but most importantly, I will remember the relationships I have made. People are truly what makes the place, and I have met some of the best ones. I will miss my friends and teachers the most, because they are the ones who have led me thus far. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my classmates, along with the amazing faculty and staff. Good Hope is such a special place, and it’s so bittersweet to be leaving a place I have called home for the last 13 years.”
She gave some advice to those students that will be starting high school in August and talked about two of her role models that she looked up to in school.
“My advice to them would be to just have fun. These are some of the most fun and memorable times of your life. I would also tell them to keep God first and strive to always find the good in people. These two things alone will get you very far. I would tell them to do their best to bring joy to every person, because you truly never know what someone else may be going through. Even a simple smile can make someone’s bad day turn good. Lastly, I would tell them to enjoy these days while they have them, because it goes by way faster than they could ever imagine. One day, you’ll be walking into your first day of high school as a scared and timid freshman, and in the blink of an eye, you will be taking your very last walk through that exact same hallway. Soon, after walking across the stage, will mark your ending of being a Good Hope student. High school will be a roller coaster, but it will only be what you make it. Make it fun, make it memorable, and make it exactly what you want it to be.”
She added,
“Two of my biggest role models in school were my teachers, Tiffany Pope and April German. Mrs. Pope was my 11th grade history and 12th grade psychology teacher. From the time I met her, she took me in as one of her own kids. She strives to make the classroom fun and always makes it a point to make you feel both seen and heard. She is always there when I need someone to talk to, and I thank God for allowing her to be one of my biggest role models. She gives the best advice, and I know I can rely on her for anything,” Doss said. “Mrs. German was my kindergarten teacher. She was the teacher who really set a strong foundation for my future. I have had the honor to grow up around her, and I couldn’t be more grateful for not only a teacher, but a friend as well, who instilled so much wisdom and knowledge into me. She never fails to make me laugh, and she has played such a huge role in my successes. Both Mrs. Pope and Mrs. German are like mothers to me, and I pray that one day, I become half as amazing as these two women are. I couldn’t have made it here without them.”
Lexi received scholarships from several colleges and talked about her plans. She learned a lot about herself during her time as a Raider and gave advice to those cheerleaders that want to be where she’s at right now.
“I received numerous scholarships from UAH, the University of Alabama, and Wallace State Community College. I plan to complete the few remaining classes to earn my Associate’s in General Studies degree online through Wallace State, while also earning my cosmetology license attending The Salon Professional Academy in Huntsville,” she said. “The most important thing I have learned about myself is that with God, I can achieve anything. He is my rock, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without His love and gracious sacrifice. I’ve learned that He won’t put me in a battle I can’t handle, so I genuinely have to trust in Him and His will for my life. I have also learned that whatever God gives, He can also take away, so I strive to never take a single second for granted. I have experienced a lot of loss and grief throughout high school, and I couldn’t be more grateful for such an amazing God.”
She added,
“I would tell them to just keep working hard. You can achieve anything you put your mind to with God and effort. It takes a lot of hard work and determination, but it is achievable. You will have to make sacrifices, but it will be worth it in the end.”
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