UPDATED: Hartland Graduate Climbs to an Apparent Second in Facebook Contest to Join Detroit Pride Cheerleaders

Kaiti Nester spent four years rooting for Hartland Eagles sports teams as a varsity cheerleader and now she's hoping enough people will root for her — and "like" her — in a Facebook vote that would land her an automatic spot on the professional squad that "unofficially" cheers at Detroit Lions home football games. 

Nester, 21, appears to be in second place Friday afternoon with nearly 620 likes out of the 28 finalists competing join the Detroit Pride Cheerleaders, according to numbers listed with each contender's photo. (Click here to vote for her. Click here to see the finalists). A contestant named Holly appears to be in first, who has about 690. But this count doesn't include votes by e-mail or likes on the team's wall.

The contest runs through sometime Sunday and Nester has been seeking support through social media, including posts on the Facebook page for the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and by setting up a Facebook event page. While the choices only show candidates' pictures, Nester says it measures their social networking skills.

"I am so humbled and grateful to receive such strong support (both from my friends in East Lansing as well as my hometown)," said Nester, who currently is attending Michigan State University to pursue a nursing career. "If I am selected as a Detroit Pride Cheerleader, I will certainly keep all of my supporters in my thoughts as I cheer. It is such a wonderful feeling to know that everyone is 'cheering' for me."

Nester, who began cheerleading at age 7 with her mom as her coach, said she wants to become one of eight spirit ambassadors on the team, which in addition to Lions games also performs at events throughout Metro Detroit. The group is the Lions "unofficial" cheerleading squad because the team has traditionally gone without a team and the group started attending games last year in a bid to convince the club to add one, according to this Click on Detroit report.

The tryouts began March 11 and the finals — which are open to the public — are 9 p.m. March 26 at Dooley's Irish Tavern in Sterling Heights. It's unclear how many new spots on the team are open.

"I would absolutely love an opportunity to be a part of this team because I truly believe in the message it promotes for Detroit and the entire state," she told Hartland Patch in an e-mail. "A sense of pride is exactly what Detroit needs right now; our city has a spirit like no other and it's time to acknowledge that. What better place to be a true cheerleader?"

Paula Cunningham, Nester's high school coach, said she would be an excellent choice for the team, adding she plans to help spread the word to current team about Nester's vote.

"She was a great cheerleader for me," Cunningham said. "She would be fabulous at it. … She's gorgeous inside and out."

While now living in East Lansing, Nester still has family ties to the community. Her parents, Raymond and Linda Nester, and older brother, Matthew Nester, still live in Hartland.

"My father actually used to be the principal of Hartland High School so that has really tied our family to the community through the years," she said.

Her cheer resume includes being one of the first 10 in the state to do a back tuck-half twist. During her high school career, the cheer squad competed in the state finals all four years.  She also taught gymnastics at and through the Hartland Area Youth Athletic Association and ran track. And while she doesn't cheer at MSU, she wants to continue with this team.

"For me personally, cheerleading is my passion and I have come to realize that I am definitely not prepared to give that up yet," she said. "Nothing makes me happier than cheerleading. Everything about it … its empowering influence on young women as well as its influence within the community."

Editor's note: This story was updated Friday afternoon with changes that include showing Nester moving from fourth on Wednesday to second on the main vote list and clarifying that the team also is counting likes on its wall and via e-mail.