At Woodrow Wilson High School, school spirit sounds different to every student. For senior cheerleader Daniela R., she proves every day that Wildcat pride can be expressed in ways beyond words.
Daniela was born hard-of-hearing, but she’s never let that stop her. She joined the Woodrow cheerleading team as a freshman, and, before that, participated in other activities like dance and track.
“I really love to encourage people,” signed Daniela.
And when it comes to Friday nights on the sideline, there’s not much she doesn’t love.
Her face lights up with excitement when describing what a game day feels like for her.
“When I wake up, I’m already excited because it’s gameday,” she said.
From her dances to her pom-poms, Daniela’s passion is prominent. Like any student-athlete, she said she’s dealt with plenty of struggles along the way.
“There have been challenges, and it is a little hard. It was hard not being able to hear, but it was easy to follow the cheers,” she said.
Despite any roadblock, she doesn’t slow down. She does the cheer motions with her cheer team, but shines as she signs the national anthem and words of cheers to the crowd.
Ashley Johnson, varsity cheer coach, said this group of Woodrow cheerleaders stands out, but Daniela leaves a lasting impression.
“She is a breath of fresh air,” she said. “She always gives the best feedback, and she has a keen eye for things most people wouldn’t see.”
Johnson has a varsity squad of 30 members, but holds Daniela to the same standards as every other athlete. Daniela follows along with her favorite cheers, picking up her coach’s directions with ease.
“I’ve been in education for 16 years, so adapting to meet the needs of our students is not a foreign concept to me. Daniela is very capable, so I don’t treat her like someone with a disability,” said Johnson.
It’s no surprise with Daniela’s capability and determination, she has big goals after graduation.
She plans to attend college, and maybe even put her passion for cooking to the test by entering cooking competitions. It’s taken a lot of practice and support to get her to where she is now, but she’s thankful for the help along the way and the lessons she’s learned.
“I’ve definitely learned perseverance. I’ve always continued doing what I needed to do,” said Daniela.
