There seems to be an incredibly positive change happening with High School Cheerleading Squads, all across the United States. Some have started including students who have special needs. This is a situation where everyone benefits.
Have you heard of “The Sparkle Effect”? It is a student-run program that helps high school students across America to create cheerleading teams, and dance teams, that include students who have disabilities, or special needs. Students who want to get started with this can get a Quick Start Kit, and get some mentoring, to help them get started. There are grants available to help with the purchase of uniforms.
This is definitely a “win-win” situation. High school students who have a special need can participate in a cheerleading or dance program. These students gain confidence in their own abilities, and can improve their interaction with peers. The cheerleaders who are doing the mentoring often become inspired by the students who they are coaching. The entire student body of the high school, as well as the community that the high school is located in, becomes more accepting of students who have special needs.
Cheerleading and dance are athletic programs, so everyone who participates gets to have fun while they are working out and getting exercise. The typical high school student is not getting enough exercise, and this is one factor that tends to lead to obesity.
Students who are on medications that increase their appetite need to be especially pro-active about making sure they get a lot of exercise. The Sparkle Effect is a program that can help students with special needs to achieve that goal.
There is a group called “The Rocket Elite Special Stars” that is a cheerleading team that is located in Northampton County, in Pennsylvania. This squad includes both boys and girls, and has almost a dozen cheerleaders in it. Some of the students in this group have autism.
This cheer squad is being coached by volunteer coach Carrie Eager, who is a high school student. Right now, they are trying to send the team to a national competition that will take place in Disney World in the Spring of 2012. They are relying on donations, in order to help make this happen.
A high school in Dacula, Georgia, started including students with special needs into their mainstream cheerleading squad after the High School Counselor, Jana Jaffe, watched a TV program that described “The Sparkle Effect”. Five students with special needs were selected, with the help of the Special Education Teacher Jan Zeller, to join the cheerleading squad.
Dacula High School recently selected Jeffery Meyer as Homecoming King, and Rachel Wilson, as Homecoming Queen. The two high school students are a couple, and each of them has Down Syndrome.
Image Moggs Oceanlane on Flickr