One Antioch campus was filled with cheer – literally on January 6, 2024. On Saturday, Deer Valley hosted the Northern California Regional III competition with DV’s Louise Green at the helm.
One stand-out group included the Be Exceptional team, which consists of special education students from various schools, including Belshaw and Turner elementary schools and several from Antioch High and Deer Valley campuses.
Half of the 15-girl squad are AUSD students and are paired with (general-ed) cheerleaders from AHS, DV, Dozier-Libbey, Antioch Charter and some homeschool programs.
The team performed in front of the large crowd and walked away with a first-place plaque and ribbon.
Said Lynda Green, Be Exceptional founder, “We are the only cheer abilities team in the area, so there was no one to compete against but we do it for fun and it means so much to the students and families.”
One of the buddy coaches is Antioch High’s Alycia Escalante. She’s been involved for nearly seven months and said “Helping and watching these kids grow and learn and expand their young minds is an amazing experience. I’ve learned many skills – patience and being able to be flexible with all types of kids with all different abilities – which will help me grow as a person.”
