PARIS – Batons will be twirling at the Paris Elementary School on Saturday when the Paris Twirlers showcase their talent.

The students will perform this weekend in their first rally of the year with teams from West Paris, Bethel, Waterford, Poland, Oxford Hills Middle School in Paris and Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, also in Paris. The Oxford Hills Majorettes Team Rally is set for Saturday at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.

Many of the girls are new to competition, said coach Mary Ellen Baizley, a teacher at Paris Elementary School. The competitions will be coming over the next three months and for the Paris Twirlers this is only their second year as a team.

“I thought it sounded interesting,” said Ashlee Atchinson, who is in her second year of twirling, when asked why she got involved in the team.

On Thursday, members of the Fabulous and the Juvenile Twirl Team who make up the Paris Twirlers met for their last rehearsal before the performance. The students went through various routines and then were told how they should prepare for Saturday. Blue or yellow-flowered hair ties only to match the girl’s team uniforms, hair in ponytails, no big jewelry, no black nail polish and light on the makeup – those were some of the rules the girls have to adhere to.

The team performances will begin at 10 a.m. followed by the presentation of teams and awards at 11. At 11:15, there will be a parent information session on competitive twirling hosted by the U.S. Twirling Association judges and a clinic after lunch.

Members of the team are: August Abbott, Ashlee Atchinson, McKayla Marois, Dominique Boutot, Natasha Blake, Ashley Covert, Marie Davis, Monica Harthorne, Emily Huff, Anna Huff and Catherine Lamb.

Also twirling are Carolyn Lamb, Makayla Martin, Micaela Ring, Hannah Smart, Kimberly Smith, Sydney Truman and Amy Turner.