Special needs students to shine
Free program will offer students a chance to cheer
By Courtney Flynn
cflynn@chronicle-tribune.com
Marion Community Schools will soon be offering a new activity for special needs students in the county, and a form of community service for the Marion High School cheerleading team.
The Marion Shining Stars is free program that will offer special needs students, girls and boys in grades five through 12, an opportunity to be a part of a team and learn various cheers, stunts and routines, MHS Cheerleading Coach Ron Vermilion said.
“We’ll do a lot of repetition,” he said.
These cheers and routines will be taught by some of the MHS cheerleaders, while Vermilion and Brittney Pearson, who will help coach the Shining Stars, oversee the program.
MHS Cheerleading Captain Katlynn said she hopes after a couple of practices, the students will begin to feel comfortable doing some of the easier, more basic, cheer routines.
Vermilion said practices will be one or two days a week, with each practice session lasting less than an hour. He said eventually he would like to get those involved on the team prepared to do some cheers at football and basketball games. Vermilion’s hopes are set on having a routine together for the first home MHS football game, he said.
Pearson, who came up with the idea after watching a television show, said she wanted to bring something to the Marion community that helped integrate the special needs students.
“It’s really important for people to know that all people are people,” she said.
With this program, Pearson said she hopes the volunteers will better understand how to interact with special needs students, and the special needs students will feel more integrated into the community.
Vermilion said he thinks this program will also encourage more community service throughout the MCS district.
“I just think it’s a good idea to get involved in the community,” Nall said.
Nall said she has been involved with community service projects before, but nothing likes this. She said she is excited for the opportunity and to spread the word.
Vermilion said all 30 of his cheerleaders want to be involved in the program, but that number will be based on the number of special needs students who want to participate.
The first informational meeting will take place at 6 p.m. July 21 in the MHS library.
The Marion Shining Stars is free program that will offer special needs students, girls and boys in grades five through 12, an opportunity to be a part of a team and learn various cheers, stunts and routines, MHS Cheerleading Coach Ron Vermilion said.
“We’ll do a lot of repetition,” he said.
These cheers and routines will be taught by some of the MHS cheerleaders, while Vermilion and Brittney Pearson, who will help coach the Shining Stars, oversee the program.
MHS Cheerleading Captain Katlynn said she hopes after a couple of practices, the students will begin to feel comfortable doing some of the easier, more basic, cheer routines.
Vermilion said practices will be one or two days a week, with each practice session lasting less than an hour. He said eventually he would like to get those involved on the team prepared to do some cheers at football and basketball games. Vermilion’s hopes are set on having a routine together for the first home MHS football game, he said.
Pearson, who came up with the idea after watching a television show, said she wanted to bring something to the Marion community that helped integrate the special needs students.
“It’s really important for people to know that all people are people,” she said.
With this program, Pearson said she hopes the volunteers will better understand how to interact with special needs students, and the special needs students will feel more integrated into the community.
Vermilion said he thinks this program will also encourage more community service throughout the MCS district.
“I just think it’s a good idea to get involved in the community,” Nall said.
Nall said she has been involved with community service projects before, but nothing likes this. She said she is excited for the opportunity and to spread the word.
Vermilion said all 30 of his cheerleaders want to be involved in the program, but that number will be based on the number of special needs students who want to participate.
The first informational meeting will take place at 6 p.m. July 21 in the MHS library.
