A single bad apple, a misguided heckle or one harsh word would have echoed through the hushed gym and ruined the moment that so many people had worked so hard to reach.
“I talk about it now and it almost brings tears to my eyes,” says Debra Cartwright, the assistant principal of student services at Glenbard North High School in Carol Stream. Cartwright says she was confident things would go well during that December assembly to honor the winter sports teams, but her job always forces her to consider the worst-case scenario.
“We were nervous,” admits a giggling Violet Spadlowski, a freshman member of the squad.
“And when they finished, they got this standing ovation. There wasn't a dry eye in the house,” Cartwright says.
“I've taught since 1981, and that was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen,” says Sue A. Koeller, a special-education teacher. “And all because one kid took this on.”
Ask the assistant principal, the special education teachers or any of the Special-Needs Cheerleaders who is responsible for this unmitigated success and they all give the same answer: “Nicole.”
• • •
“I love it,” Nicole says, recalling the day as a seventh-grader when kids from the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association paid a visit to her class. “We had the connection right away. I just fell in love.”
Nicole spends 12 hours a day at school. She's studying for upcoming finals, volunteers her free period to help an honors chemistry class and is working through a knee injury and honing her gymnastic skills for the intense cheerleader competitions that often eat up an entire weekend. Yet, Nicole always finds time for her Special-Needs Cheerleaders before she goes to her own cheerleading practice.
“She's definitely in the right field,” says her mom, Anna. “She lights up like a light bulb when she works with these kids.”
And Nicole's cheerleaders blossom under Nicole's effervescent ray of sunshine.
“Nicole's love and care in working with these cheerleaders is rewarding just to observe,” says Koeller, who adds that watching Nicole and her cheerleaders gives her “goose bumps.”
Fellow special-education teacher Heather Sparks says cheerleading with Nicole has given these girls confidence.
“You see friendships build. Socially, they are role models for the other students,” Sparks says.
And Nicole is the role model for her cheerleaders: Luz Rosales, Melissa Fragoso, Alma Jashari, Nancy Marines, Brenda Calvillo, Alejandra Perez, Jessi Sabalaskey, Charlin Bueno, Violet Spadlowski, Nishita Mehta, Cassie Samborski and Valentina Moore.
Ask why they decided to become cheerleaders, and they answer in unison, “Nicole!”
Where did you get those ribbons? “Nicole!”
What's the best part of learning the cheers? “Nicole!”
How would you describe Nicole? “Funny.” “Nice.” “Amazing.” “Fabulous.”
“I can go into practice with the worst mood I've ever had and they will make me smile and I will come out laughing,” Nicole says.
“We stalk you,” Violet says, laughing. Alma adds that she and the other Special-Needs Cheerleaders now know where Nicole's locker is. Thanks to Nicole, the general student body now knows these cheerleaders, and kids wave hello or throw out a compliment as they pass the girls after practice.
With a new program that started last year integrating 380 special-education students among the 2,600 kids at Glenbard North, the school has an active Best Buddies program that creates one-on-one bonds by matching a volunteer student with a peer who has a disability. Nicole's cheerleaders are just another opportunity for the diverse student body to interact.
“Our students have truly embraced this program. It's genuine,” Cartwright says of the merging of a diverse student population epitomized by the Special-Needs Cheerleaders. “It's great for these girls, but what it's done for the student body is magnificent.”
Nicole approached Cartwright, Koeller and Sparks in the summer with her idea. She got the school's old JV cheerleading outfits. Debbie Wilcoxen, a teacher's aide, tailored them to fit the girls, who vary greatly in size. Nicole picked out the ribbons for the girls, selected the cheers, routines and music, and also, with the help of her family, gave out other goodies, such as stockings of small gifts at Christmas.
But her cheerleaders say Nicole is no pushover. She makes them work hard to memorize the routines and has one ironclad rule.
“You can't say ‘can't,'” Alma says.
“Or else she'll make you run back and forth,” says Violet, who grins and admits, “I've had to run.”
“I had a lot of ‘I can't' when we started,” Nicole says.
The cheerleaders are cheering for the school's special-needs basketball team competing in the Illinois Special Olympics tournament. While the girls have cheered at some away games, they'll just be there in spirit Sunday at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights. If the Glenbard team qualifies, the cheerleaders plan to follow them to the Illinois Special Olympics state finals March 16-18 in Bloomington/Normal.
Nicole, who wants to be a cheerleader in college and become a special-education teacher, already is talking about next year's squad.
“It's the most-rewarding experience I've ever had,” Nicole says.
“She's always been one to reach for the stars. She's a good girl with a big heart, and she's always doing something to help others,” her mom says.
“Nicole is one of those rare young ladies who comes along infrequently, reaffirming faith in our youth. We need things like this every once in a while to make us feel OK,” Koeller says, before finding the perfect word to describe Nicole. “She's a very special young lady.”
# http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120115/news/701159905/
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