I have been cheering at Drew Charter School since 8th grade, and that’s when I truly fell in love with the sport. My first experience as a cheerleader was on the middle school basketball cheer team, and from the very beginning, I was drawn to the energy, teamwork, and strong sense of school spirit that cheerleading brings to the community. That same year, our basketball team advanced to the first round of the playoffs. It made me realize how powerful cheerleading can be in building unity, pride, and motivation throughout the school.

In 9th grade, I continued my cheer journey by joining the Fury Junior Varsity Cheer Team. I was honored to be chosen as Co-captain of the JV team, which gave me my first opportunity to take on a leadership role. I gained a deeper understanding of what it means to lead by example and to be someone my teammates could rely on both on and off the mat.

During my sophomore year, I advanced to the Fury Varsity Cheer Team. I began to truly excel as both a performer and a teammate, pushing myself to improve and take pride in the skills I brought to the team. Following my sophomore season, I was chosen as Co-captain of the Gold Squad during my junior year. I enjoyed building camaraderie with my teammates and creating a positive, encouraging team culture. Working closely with the other captains and coaches, I helped lead the team through performances and events that brought our school community together.

This year, as a senior, I was honored to be selected as one of the head captains of the entire cheer team. This leadership role has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my high school career. It’s given me the chance to guide others, represent the team, and contribute to shaping the spirit and culture of cheer at Drew. Cheerleading has helped shape who I am—teaching me discipline, teamwork, confidence, and leadership—and I’m proud of how far I’ve come since that first game in 8th grade. I look forward to carrying everything I’ve learned with me beyond high school.