Cleveland cheer camp full of spirit

The Cleveland High School cheer team held its youth camp in the CHS Cafeteria July 10 and put a lot of smiles on faces.

Each camper got a pair of pompoms, snacks, drinks and an up-close look at CHS cheerleaders.

“The girls are always so excited to see cheerleaders in uniforms," assistant coach Jessica Andreoni said. “They look up to the cheerleaders a lot, and the cheerleaders this year have done a really great job of being good role models to them and in the community.”

Before becoming a coach, Andreoni was a member of the varsity cheer team at CHS from 2015-19. She also attended cheer camps growing up and helped run them when she was cheerleader at Cleveland.

“I really am honored to be out here with all these kids. Some of them will put on this uniform someday, and they are so sweet and I am so excited to see what the future looks like for this school," senior cheerleader Ahriana Ramriez said.

The CHS cheerleaders had a busy day and helped the young cheerleaders with stunting, tumbling, kicking, jumping, cheering, teaching them a dance routine, playing some games, and of course, learning the Cleveland Shuffle.

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“I’m making sure everyone stays safe and has fun … mostly just to make sure everyone has fun,” senior cheerleader Miranda McQuerry said. “The goal is to make them love this so much that they come to Cleveland and join the team.”

McQuerry volunteered to run the camp and was enthusiastic the entire day. When McQuerry graduates, she wants to be a teacher at Cleveland and also help coach. McQuerry also mentioned that she is referred to as the “team mom.”

A common sight throughout the camp were kids sitting on top of cheerleaders shoulders. Many of the cheerleaders developed positive relationships with the kids, including senior cheerleader Alicia Griego and camper Beau McDevitt.

“I had such a fun time with her! She learned to cheer, to do a dance and we flew her. It was so much fun,” Griego said.

McDevitt is a third-grade student and is a part of her school’s razzle dazzle team. McDevitt never left Griego’s side, and one could even mistake them for sisters.

“I had fun today. I got to fly, and this is a cheerleader who is now my friend,” McDevitt said while looking at Griego. “It was a really fun day.”