Only the Strong Survive on this High School Cheer Squad

In south Brooklyn, one school’s cheerleading squad only has room for tough cheerleaders. South Brooklyn Community High School isn’t your typical public school; it’s a transfer school for students ages 16 to 20 years old who are finishing school after having left their traditional high school either because they dropped out or were suspended for truancy. Not only are there a number of rules team members must follow, but also pressures from outside of school in the cheerleaders’ every day lives take a toll. Many of the school’s students have unstable homes, are raising children, and are balancing jobs. The cheerleading team is a new addition to the school and although many girls joined the team when it was first created, the team quickly dwindled down to four members. Cheer coach Shannon Hummel maintains a tight ship. DNAinfo New York explains, “two missed practices per term and you’re off the squad. Arrive late more than three times and it counts as a missed practice. Skipping a game counts as a missed practice.” Reported by DNAinfo New York, 18-year-old team member Dominique Manigo sums up the situation: “you’ve got to make a lot of sacrifices. It can be difficult at times.” However, the team is now rebuilding and growing now since, as Shannon explains, the students understand the demands to be part of the team. As of now, there are seven members who love being on the team and are dedicated to learning and growing. The school’s teachers and faculty applaud Shannon and the cheerleading squad for teaching the cheerleaders discipline and dedication. Kelley Walcott, an English teacher at the school and the cheer squad’s advisor, said of the cheerleaders, “to make any commitment that they follow through on…for them, that is resiliency, that is toughness.” Coach Shannon is first and foremost a dancer teacher so she is incorporating a lot of dance into the cheer routines, including hip-hop. Though still in its early stages, the cheerleading squad is making the community take notice of their growth and their strength, showing the power of cheerleading. You can read more about this inspiring squad here.