Washington senior Emma Stout (center) puts pen to paper, signing a letter of intent to competitively dance next fall at Mount Mercy University. Photo by KCII’s Nate Gonner.

A childhood passion is following one Washington senior with her to college this fall. The first Monday of the new year saw Demon senior Emma Stout sign a letter of intent to dance competitively next year at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids.

Stout has been dancing at Studio E in Washington since she was three years old, and is also a member of the Washington High School dance team. She was planning on attending Mount Mercy prior to finding out about the school’s new dance team.

Last September, Mount Mercy announced their plans to offer a competitive co-ed dance and cheer team starting the fall of 2016. First year head coach Dax Cox tells KCII Sports if she continues to put in the work, Stout will leave college as one of his best dancers.

Mount Mercy University is a four-year, co-educational Catholic liberal arts institution, and is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.