This year we experienced a string of small miracles and large transformations in our Iowa town after several members of our varsity cheerleading squad formed our own cheerleading squad for children with special needs. Ten girls with special needs - from autism to Down Syndrome - radiate new joy and confidence as part of our "Spartan Sparkles" cheerleading squad. Our program is youth-led and fully integrated into the high school sports program. We practice with our Sparkles two times each week, and they cheer with us at home football and basketball games to packed crowds and standing ovations.
Check out The Sparkle Effect, Inc. a nonprofit corporation that provides guidance, peer mentoring, andonline tools to enable high school students across the United States to create cheerleading squads for students with special needs and to fully integrate those squads into the high school sports curriculum.
A huge Thank You to the Bettendorf Rotary Club for giving us a grant to help fund our Special Olympic trip this March!
Check out The Sparkle Effect, Inc. 