Simply because a child is born with or develops disabilities, doesn’t mean they can’t do or wish for the same things that any other child would.
No matter how different they are, every child deserved to feel like they belong somewhere. That’s one of our very basic human conditions, dating back to the beginning of time. And that is also the message behind Inspire, a cheer program developed at Empire Cheerleading in Benton, Arkansas. This program was created five years ago with the mission to allow special needs children to have fun and connect with their peers through sport.
Cheerleaders of all skill levels and abilities are more than welcome. And parents don’t have to pay a single dime for their kids to join, because the program’s funded through donations from lots of kindhearted people.
Not only does the team promote inclusivity, but it also allows the girls a chance to achieve things previously thought to be out of their reach. One can not overstate the importance of giving a child the chance to work hard and accomplish something important to them. And that’s exactly what Inspire aims to do with each and every girl who joins their program.
“I love just getting to cheer them on, I’m their biggest cheerleader,” one mom said. “Every accomplishment is just so much bigger when your child has disabilities. Those milestones mean a lot more.”
In 2018, Inspire even participated in Arkansas’s first ever Special Olympic State Championship. And now, Inspire has two teams, White and Red, both of which competed in this year’s state championship.
The good folks who run the program want to ensure that it sticks around, so recently, the athletes delivered a brilliant performance in front of thousands, encouraging them to donate. However, they ended up inspiring more than just their in-person audience. People from all over the world saw their videos, and the internet loved what they were all about and offered to help support their cause!
“That is a great idea,” one viewer wrote. “This is a good program for kids.”
“God bless them. So wonderful that they are normal kids enjoying themselves,” another added.
Here’s to many more years of fun, making friends, competing and inspiring us all for these talented angels! You can learn more about the Inspire cheerleaders in the video, below, and please make sure to share and show your support for this truly inspirational program!
Here’s another video showing these girls in action!
