Denver Broncos Cheerleaders Visit West Haven High
Six Denver Broncos cheerleaders made a surprise visit to West Haven High School’s brand new state-of-the-art auditorium on Jan. 16.
Sydney, Breanna, Andria, Emily, Dee, Katherine and Mckenna met with the WH Cheer Team, Dance Team, Major Steppers, Girl Up, P.A.C.E. Program and our school newspaper to share stories about their struggles to get where they are now.
Breanna grew up with three sets of twins in her family. She was diagnosed with dyslexia, which caused her to struggle a lot in school. Later she was put into special reading classes, and by her senior year in high school she was able to read books without supervision.
She continued her education at Pikes Peak Community College to study child development. Later on she tried out for the Denver Cheer Team and made the team on her first try.
Throughout the rough times she still managed to push through, even if it was no fun.
“Every little grain you get, turn it into a meal,” Breanna said.
Dee is from an immigrant family that moved from China to the United States when she was only five. In school she had to go to an extracurricular course due to her lack of English.
Students would always make fun of her for looking different compared to everyone else. Even when she loved school all she wanted to do was to fit in. Dee felt that she had to seek permission from everyone.
She found a passion for the arts especially dancing after watching ballet on YouTube. She was amazed and in love with the movement, and she bought herself jazz shoes to practice turns and twirls.
Her parents always wanted her to study in the medical field to become a doctor but she was afraid of blood, so instead she studied communications and digital media and Chinese at the University of Colorado Boulder.
It took Dee three tries to become a Denver Broncos Cheerleader. She was rejected from other teams as well. Even when she didn’t believe in herself and was about to give up, a friend believed in her and gave her the courage to be her yes.
“Sometimes you just need that one person,” she stated. “Be your yes.”
Another Denver Broncos Cheerleaders, Emily, also shared her story with communication disorder. Emily struggled with speech impediment, she always felt that she could communicate through dancing.
“Despite my communication disorder I was able to express myself through dance,” she said.
In college she studied at University of Colorado at Boulder to get her Bachelor Degree and University of Pittsburgh for her Masters.
At the end of the visit, the six Denver Broncos Cheerleaders handed out an autograph book with pictures of the team to everyone so they could sign it and take pictures with them. To say thank you, West Haven’s Cheer team and Major Steppers performed for the Denver Cheer Team.
