Five Altoona Area High School cheerleaders are heading to Hawaii this weekend to take part in the Varsity Spirit Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Honolulu. Taking part in the event are (from left) Laura Reed, Jenna Williams, Ella Strawmier, Alyssa Kovach and Amiradama Smith-Banks. The cheerleaders are among about 600 who took part in Memphis-based Varsity Spirit cheer camps held during the summer. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which occurred Dec. 7, 1941. In addition to taking part in the parade held in the streets of Waikiki Beach, the students will meet cheerleaders and dancers from across the nation and visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial and the USS Missouri Battleship.

Courtesy photo