Schools

Hauppauge Cheerleaders Stuck in Disney World

The team went to a national competition over the weekend, but their flight home was canceled due to the weather conditions.

If one is going to be stuck somewhere, it might as well be the happiest place on earth.

The Hauppauge cheerleading team went to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. last week to compete in the National High School Cheerleading Championship. The girls were scheduled to come home Monday, but their flight was canceled due to heavy fog. With some rescheduling, the team is now set fly back Wednesday, Superintendent Patricia Sullivan-Kriss said at a board of education meeting Tuesday night.

Unfortunately for the team, their admission to the Disney parks expired after the competition. The girls have been staying in a hotel waiting out the time.

Find out what's happening in Hauppaugewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

While their flight problem caused some issues, the deal worked out pretty well for the cheerleaders, who not only successfully avoided the blizzard altogether, but also took home fourth place in their category - up seven slots from last year.

There were 30 teams from Long Island in the competition, many of which also had their flights canceled.

Find out what's happening in Hauppaugewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Athletic Director Joe Tasman arranged for the team to fly back on Wednesday into Newark Airport. The team left from LaGuardia Airport, but due to a backup from Monday's canceled flights, the girls would have had to wait another day to fly home, and also miss an additional day of school. The girls will fly from Orlando to Baltimore, and then take a connecting flight to Newark.

The board of education voted for a resolution in favor of an expenditure of $1,121 to pay for the bus that will drive the students from New Jersey to Long Island.

The team is expected to arrive back home around rush hour Thursday afternoon.


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