Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard is helping Mount Vernon's junior varsity and varsity cheerleaders compete in Nationals for the first time ever.

"If you can write a check then write out a check to Mount Vernon cheer and you can drop it off at the high school or you can drop it at my office and we'll collect it and bring it to the high school,” says Patterson-Howard.

She's spreading awareness about a fundraiser to help the teams afford the trip. 

The Knights' head varsity coach believes it will cost about $40,000 to get both teams down to Florida.

A GoFundMe has raised just over 17,000 towards that goal.

The competition is happening next month at Walt Disney World.