Words by Marla Price | Images by Al Blanton
Addison High School senior Meri Kayte Flynn embodies the Bulldog spirit—leading her cheer team with energy, positivity, and heart. A four-year All-American cheerleader and four-time All-County selection, she’s helped guide Addison’s squad to major accomplishments, including a recent regional championship.
Off the field, Meri Kayte’s achievements are just as impressive. She maintains a 4.37 GPA, serves as senior class president and DECA vice president, and is active in Beta Club, Peer Helpers, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She also represented her school at Alabama Girls State, where she was elected sheriff.
A dedicated leader and advocate, Meri Kayte has participated in beauty pageants since she was ten years old. “I was kind of shy, and beauty pageants helped me break out of that for sure!” she admits.
Meri Kayte most recently won the title of Miss Tennessee River’s Teen, a preliminary for Miss Teen Alabama, a pageant in which Meri Kayte will have competed for four consecutive years. She uses her platform, “Misunderstood: Dyslexia Awareness,” to share her own experiences and encourage others. Diagnosed with dyslexia at age eight, Meri Kayte understands the challenges of learning differences and is inspired to help others. “Just because something’s hard doesn’t mean you can’t do it,” she says confidently.
If that wasn’t enough, she also wrote a children’s book, Matilda Manatee and the Misunderstood Mondays, in which she tells her own story of working through challenges with dyslexia, and founded Reading Buddies through her work with the Future Teachers of Alabama.
After graduation from Addison, she plans to attend The University of Alabama to pursue a degree in marketing. “I love to talk to people,” she said. “Marketing will let me do that for the rest of my life.”
Whether she’s leading cheers, organizing events, or inspiring others through her story, Meri Kayte Flynn continues to prove that true leadership shines brightest with action, faith, and a smile. 67
