Westlake High Competition Cheer Team hosting ‘kiss the pig’ fundraiser

Some lucky—or unlucky— member of the Westlake High School Competition Cheer Team or a school administrator will have to “kiss a pig” as part of the team’s upcoming fundraiser.

Collection jars with faces of cheer team members and campus administrators will circulate around campus from Feb. 1 through 10. The person whose jar brings in the most money will have to kiss a live pig in front of the student body during the school’s Winter Rally.

Represented on the team’s collection jars will be senior Kiko Cox, junior Megan Fiore, sophomore Christina Cipriani and freshman Haley Houston.

Other jars will include the faces of Westlake Principal Ron Lipari, Vice Principal Richard Urias, Assistant Principal Drew Passalacqua, Dean David Holmboe and Dean Nicole Funfar.

The 12-member Competition Cheer Team is nationally ranked, with an undefeated 2004-2005 season. The team has won first place awards at many competitions, including U.S. Spirit Leaders Extreme Games Nationals, High School Cheerleading State Championships and American Cheer Power New Year’s Championships.

The team is coached by Moorpark resident Rachel Lindas.

Donations from “kiss the pig” will support the team’s operating costs and fund the cheerleaders’ trip to the Orlando, Fla. National Competition in March.

Team members attend more than 15 hours of practice a week, raise most of funds needed for team expenses, and maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average.