From
The Bellingham Herald. In the picture, Makayla Buys, 14, stands atop the pyramid as Tess Kaemingk, 17, left, Jaynie Ottley, 14, behind, and Michaela Stevens, 18, right, hold her up during cheer practice.
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Arms extended upward, grin lighting up her face, Makayla Buys is balanced at the top of a small cheerleader pyramid.
She lingers at the top. It's her favorite place to be.
Buys is one of three girls on the SilverStar Sparkles, NW SilverStars' new cheer team for girls with special needs. Organized by three Squalicum High School seniors for their culminating project, the team will perform in the Washington State All Star Championship on March 20 in Tacoma.
"My favorite thing about cheer is the pyramid," Makayla said, shortly after hopping down from her perch on high. "I feel so happy. I love being happy."
The girls have been practicing since November and had their first exhibition in February.
"We all just sat there and sobbed," said Makayla's mother, Kathy Buys, of watching the girls perform. "The whole gym was standing up and cheering. It's really touching."
Makayla, who has Down syndrome and is in eighth grade at Lynden Christian, is on the team with Lynden Christian freshman Rachael Apodaca and Squalicum freshman Jaynie Ottley.
Squalicum seniors Michaela Stevens, Tess Kaemingk and Erin McGuire started the special needs team as their senior project, but they've got a line of volunteers to continue it long after they graduate.
"We're hoping this keeps up. We love it," Tess said of the special needs team. "It's really inspiring. The girls get so excited and into it. It's a little challenging, but they're some of the sweetest girls I know. They're amazing."
Practice for the girls starts like any other – with hugs and hellos and chats about "High School Musical," followed by a round of stretching and more chatting before they get into their routine on the mats.
"I feel very fortunate," said Rachael's mother, Dee Apodaca, who watches from the sidelines as the girls get ready. "It's always a battle when you have a child with special needs to get them involved in typical activities that other people take for granted. I feel blessed that they have an opportunity to do this."
For her daughter, who also has Down syndrome, the pompoms, cartwheels and cheer uniform are new sources of joy. And they're a way to let the girls feel like they're really part of a team.
"She's always wanted to be a cheerleader, and there haven't been many opportunities," said Melanie Ottley, whose daughter, Jaynie, has static encephalopathy, a brain disease that can have mental and physical effects. "She loves the attention the older girls are giving her. It's a self-esteem builder. She's proud of her group. It lets her shine."
When the girls work on the big smiles they'll need to wear during competition, Michaela reminds them that they truly are the stars of the show. It's the kind of open encouragement that warms the moms' hearts and makes the girls feel at home during cheer practice.
"How much better can you get than having three senior girls dote on you," said Kathy Buys. "It's amazing the job they're doing. They're very patient."
Jaynie Ottley hopes to pick up her pompoms and be on the cheerleading team again next year.
"It's very exciting. I always wanted to be a cheerleader," she said. "I like being with the other cheerleaders. They're pretty nice. I really love doing the cheer team."
After all the work put in at practice, Jaynie isn't nervous for the team's performance at the championship. How does she think they'll fare?
"Pretty awesome."
From The Bellingham Herald. In the picture, Makayla Buys, 14, stands atop the pyramid as Tess Kaemingk, 17, left, Jaynie Ottley, 14, behind, and Michaela Stevens, 18, right, hold her up during cheer practice.