Farmerette tryouts were previously held April 15-17 for middle schoolers, LHS dance classes, returning Farmerettes and other girls who were interested. 21 out of 30 contestants made the team as rookies and there are 21 returning Farmerettes. Contestants were required to wear a specific number when they performed their dance for the Farmerette judges that they rehearsed in tryouts.
“My experience in tryouts was really fun,” eighth grader Brielle Husband said. “I love that I was blessed with an opportunity to dance while trying out with a group of girls. I also made a lot of friends.”
This May, new teammates will be in rookie camp to start training, work on dance skills and learn the rules for Farmerettes. This is a time to get introduced to the organization because they are taking a big step by being on the drill team.
“The rookie camp is basically Farmerettes 101, so they’ll learn the basics of what it means to be a Farmerette because it can be a major culture,” Farmerette director Hannah Bunce said. “We have a lot of rules and structures in our program that can be a lot different from other organizations. We’ll focus on team bonding so that we’re prepared to handle the year together.”
Rookies will get to participate in activities as a Farmerette such as dancing at the halftime show for varsity football games, the winter show, spring show, team competition season, fundraisers and team trips together. This gets more involvement in school spirit and provides a great experience for team bonding as well.
“What I’m excited about is getting the experience of what it’s like to be a Farmerette,” junior Jayda Caver said. “I’m looking forward to all of the dances and our trips we take to bond as a team as well as football season. I also want to show off how my mom’s money paid off when I was little in dance class and how much I love to dance [in general].”
Also, current Farmerettes were a big help to candidates during tryouts and some participated in officer tryouts. This included choosing new dance, service officer positions and a lieutenant. They have goals and achievements for their team next year and want the best for themselves, too. For junior Carys Williams, her goal is to bring a warming presence for the team and to push past her limits.
“I want to be a bright light for everyone because we have a lot of moments where there’s a lot going on,” Williams said. “I also want to grow as a dancer as well as a leader for this team.”
2025-2026 school year will be the 65th line of Farmerettes for LHS. This is a big deal because there are grandparents, parents, aunts, sisters and other women that have been a part of the organization in the past since 1965. This drill team holds the tradition of sisterhood over the last 65 years.
“For the 65th year, it’s special because we want to honor the long maroon line so we will be accepting alumni opportunities,” Bunce said.
For the new year, new friendships will be built and the team can come together to create unison between their long standing tradition and the school.
“We are excited to celebrate all of the alumni and looking forward to all of the Farmerettes to come in the future,” assistant director Allyson Turquette said. “I’m also [excited] to get to know the girls and watch them bond with the team.”
