BOCA RATON, Fla. — A new cheerleading team at Passionate Care Services (PCS) is giving adults with disabilities the opportunity to perform, build friendships and become active participants in community events throughout Palm Beach County.
PCS Cheer & Beyond Limits was created to provide an inclusive cheerleading experience for adults with special needs. The team is already scheduled to cheer at events involving the Miracle League, Keiser University, Dwyer High School and Palm Beach Lakes High School.
"This is PCS Cheer and Beyond Limits," founder Michelle Scott said. "So this is our nonprofit organization, and we put together an adult special needs cheer team."
The team's first high school football appearance is scheduled for Oct. 22 at Palm Beach Lakes High School.
Creating a place where everyone belongs
Scott said the goal was to create an opportunity without barriers, allowing participants to experience the excitement, teamwork and recognition that come with being part of a cheer squad.
"We wanted to give everyone an opportunity to have literally no limits on being able to cheer and feel inclusive and feel important," Scott said.
During a recent practice, members of the team performed one of their cheers and shared what the program means to them.
For participant Sheila, the experience goes far beyond learning routines.
"I love it here at Passionate Care," Sheila said. "I love the drivers, the teachers, the staff, the employees. I love everybody here, my friends."
When asked what she enjoys most about being on the team, Sheila quickly listed some of the people who have made an impact on her.
"I like about the cheerleaders, cheer squad, even Michelle, Miss Britney, and everybody," she said.
Bringing inclusion into the community
The cheer team will perform at schools and community events throughout Palm Beach County, giving participants a chance to be visible, celebrated and involved.
Scott said the program is about more than cheering. It is about ensuring adults with disabilities have opportunities to participate in activities that many people take for granted.
As the squad prepares for its first football game appearance, team members are excited to represent their organization and show their school spirit alongside traditional cheer programs.
Passionate Care Services also provides other opportunities for adults with disabilities, including its Bloom program, where participants grow vegetables that are sold at a local Boca Raton store.
For the members of PCS Cheer & Beyond Limits, however, the spotlight is currently on the football field, where they'll soon hear the crowd and have the chance to cheer on local teams while creating memories of their own.
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