FARMINGTON — Mt. Blue Senior Jenna Pond is this year’s recipient of the Jamie Beth Shible Award. Pond was presented the honors on Friday, May 24, from Jamie’s parents Stephen and Julie Shible.

Pond’s parents, Margaret Staggs and Bob Pond, were in attendance along with Principal Joel Smith and former Mt. Blue Cheerleading Coach Holly Harrington. Both parents stated they were very proud of Pond and her accomplishment.

Pond will receive a $500 dollar scholarship and her name has been added to a plaque honoring all recipients of the award.

Pond says she started cheerleading officially at four, but her sister started before her, so she had exposure to the sport since as young as two.

Jenna Pond, center, is this year’s recipient of the Jamie Beth Shible Award. Also pictured with Pond, from left to right, Stephen Shible, Margaret Staggs, Pond, Bob Pond and Julie Shible. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal

“I just love it all,” Pond shared, “but the family of the sport is what I love most about it. Like, the cheer community is so much different. I played so many other sports, but the cheer community tops it all because you go to a cheer camp and like everybody’s supporting everybody.”

“Jenna was chosen by myself and coach Danielle Tannenbaum,” Harrington shared. “Jenna is a great example of the meaning of the scholarship. She is a leader by nature. She helps other athletes on her team to strive to be the best they can.”

Harrington added that Pond maintains excellent grades and is a junior coach of the new Farmington area youth competition teams.

“She spends time outside of practice to provide extra support to those that need it,” Harrington shared. “Jenna is a mature, positive and determined individual.”

Shible, a cheerleader who attended Mt. Blue, tragically and unexpectedly passed away in 1997 on Memorial Day during her junior year. Her parents started the scholarship in her name in 1998 and awarded it to a graduating cheerleader every year until 2021, when Harrington took over for the Shibles.

“I coached Jamie and continue to share her story with Mt. Blue cheerleaders,” Harrington shared in an email with The Franklin Journal. “When assisting the Shibles with picking the recipient, we often choose someone that displays many of the characteristics Jamie had.

“Her determination, her sense of humor, her leadership skills and willingness to support others are a few to name,” she elaborated.

“It’s a really tough story,” Pond shared, “and I think that the whole school should know about it because I know a lot of people don’t and they don’t really know when I tell them and I think the whole school should learn about it because it’s just such a great spirit to remember.”