The Schenectady High School cheerleading team has been invited to perform at this year's Gator Bowl in Florida, but as our Matt Hunter reports, the ladies need to raise $30,000 to get there.

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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - "Everyone has different personalities," Schenectady High School cheerleader Stephanie Ahl said.

"We're all crazy, we're all friends. We joke around, even with coach," Rozina Rose said.

Forgive the Schenectady cheerleaders if they seem tighter than your average group. The 19 girls have been through a lot this year. In June, 15-year-old Eddie Stanley, a player on the school's basketball team, was shot and killed. In August, Tropical Storm Irene devastated much of the area.

"Coming out of recent tragedies that's been hitting Schenectady in recent news, it'd be really great to bring something positive to the community and the school district," said Amy Preston, the team's coach.

As luck would have it, something positive is coming the cheerleaders' way. The team has been invited to perform at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, on Jan. 2.

"It was really exciting. We were all over there screaming. It was crazy," Ahl said.

"I've been on the team for four years, and this is the first time we've had anything like this," team captain Jacque-leen Taylor said.

Schenectady is one of just 30 schools in the nation to receive the invite. The only problem: at $1,400 for each of the 19 girls, it will cost about $30,000 to send the entire team.

"With the budgetary constraints that all local school districts are facing, I'm sure they would love to help out if the could, but we're pretty much just own our own," Preston said.

Right away, the girls launched an intense fundraising effort by selling candy, concessions and partnering with local businesses.

Two and a half months out, they're raised $8,000, knowing full well they have a long way to go.

"I think it would mean everything, seriously, because I don't know when we'll have another opportunity like this," Taylor said.

"Having the chance to get money donated to us would be very wonderful," Rose said.