One of the joys of middle school is being able to try new things and find what is of most interest to you. Our students are lucky enough to have many opportunities to see what might be the best fit for them, in terms of extracurricular activities. I am lucky enough to coach cheerleading to our middle school students. It is a rewarding experience to be the students and myself. They learn new cheers, dances, and most importantly, have improved confidence after the season.
Self-esteem and confidence is one area that every middle school student struggles with.
100% of my students are Native American and tend to struggle with self-esteem and confidence. As coaches, we try our hardest to encourage our students and provide chances for them to step outside of their comfort zones in a safe, responsible manner. Sports are great for learning sportsmanship, and cheerleading is no exception. As with many other schools, our budgets have been cut tremendously and we are left struggling to provide all the necessary resources to our students.
My Project
My students work hard all season long in practice. Just like many other schools, our funding for athletics has been cut drastically, and this has left my students lacking in the area of uniforms. As a cheerleader, you should be proud to stand in front of a crowd and look your best. It can be a struggle to do this as our uniforms are outdated, ill-fitting, and just plain over-used. To remedy this situation it would be wonderful if my students could have some hair accessories, including hair-ties, bobby pins, and brand new bows, to help make them feel their best on game days and at practices. Self-confidence is something all teenagers struggle with and being able to provide them a few things to help build their confidence will go a long way. Not to mention, when we are stunting (tumbling, mounts, etc.) it is imperative that the cheerleaders be able to keep the hair out of their face so they do not injure themselves or others.
As they say, 'Look good, feel good'.
When our cheerleaders feel good about themselves they can stop being self-conscious and focus on cheer on our basketball teams, getting the crowd involved, and dancing their hearts out. With this project, I hope to provide the 'typical' cheer experience for these girls with matching practice outfits, bows for practice and games, and all the necessary accessories to look their best and perform their activities safely.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Wellman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
