New Heights
The George Washington High School cheer team became the first team to qualify for Nationals in Philadelphia School District history. Competitive cheerleading is a predominantly white and affluent sport; many participants attend cheer camps and travel to competitions from the time they’re young. That’s not George Washington, made up mostly of students of color who are new to the sport and juggled part-time jobs and caring for siblings with cheer practice. They managed to fundraise and capture the hearts of the city of Philadelphia, allowing them to make the trip to Dallas and compete on the biggest stage, where they placed top 10 in the nation in their division.
