Myrtle Beach cheerleader to perform in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - A Myrtle Beach High School sophomore will perform in front of millions of viewers at the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City next week.

Paityn Streater, a sophomore, applied to be a cheerleader in the parade nearly a year ago after seeing the opportunity on her Instagram feed. She submitted an audition video in December without telling anyone.

“Eventually I just decided, you know what, it’s now or never, let’s go for it,” Streater said.

Streater received a letter in February congratulating her on making the official Spirit of America Performance Team, a selected squad of high school cheerleaders from across the country.

“We pulled up to the mailboxes, and she was in the backseat, and she was like ‘I got it,’ and me and her sister were like You got what? And she said, ‘into the Macy’s parade!’” said Caleigh Streater, Paityn’s mother.

Paityn was sent a uniform and a routine lasting two to three minutes that she has been learning on her own time.

At the same time, she is also preparing for the state cheer competition with her school team on Saturday in Columbia.

“I’m just taking it day by day, section by section, like I get to go to state, which is amazing, and then after I get to go to New York, so it’s pretty great,” Paityn said.

Head Varsity Cheer Coach Betsi Britt said Paityn’s selection came as no surprise.

“She came in with no cheer experience at all and just has worked on her skills every year,’ Britt said. ”She’s grown incredibly, and she’s really dedicated to the sport and to bettering herself."

The team departed on Friday afternoon for the state competition.

Paityn will travel to New York on Sunday to prepare for the parade.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on WMBF/NBC on Thursday beginning at 8:30 a.m.

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