Silently eating, a girl in special education sat alone during lunch. Even at 6-years-old, Remi Richardson knew this was not right. After receiving a reward for eating lunch with her teacher with the choice of inviting a friend, Richardson invited the girl to join her. Realizing the impact of a simple act of kindness, now a senior, Richardson co-founded Cheer Cats.
Cheer Cats, also known as CheerAbilities, is a student-led organization that allows special education students to participate in cheerleading activities and performances to be more involved in the community.
Richardson implemented the program freshman year at Rock Hill High School and sought to do the same alongside senior Emma Dorman and senior Maylee Stankiewicz, all of whom are senior officers of Cheer Cats.
“I feel like a big thing with [special education] is that they don’t always have the same opportunities as general education like sports and clubs,” Richardson said. “[Cheer cats] provided an opportunity for them to be on a team and be a part of something.”
Cheer Cats performed once at the Aloha Pep Rally last year and will perform at the beginning of the first quarter of the homecoming game.
“Honestly one thing that stood out to me last year was after we did the pep rally routine and one of the special education kids named Alyssa ran to her mom and gave her the biggest hug and her mom started crying,” Richardson said.
During performances, Richardson and other officers stand in front of the performers and lead them in a cheer.
“I feel like you don’t realize how much [Cheer Cats] can truly mean to someone,” Richardson said. “It might not seem super big to me because I do cheer everyday but it can have such a big impact on somebody else.”
Richardson is on the varsity cheer team and participates in the Cheer Cats, PALS, and Partners physical education.
“Her goal was to bring the joy of cheer to everyone at Walnut Grove and that is exactly what has happened,” Coach Grobe said. “She fosters inclusivity and encourages others to do the same.”
Reedy said Richardson’s kindness and inclusion are natural, making her an example of “The Standard.”
“Remi is so important to CheerAbilities [Cheer Cats] and our FA [Functional Academics] students love her,” special education teacher Juliet Reedy said. “She is a class favorite. She makes everyone feel loved and included.”
Richardson’s legacy created within the program is said by her coaches to be felt long after graduation.
“Remi has a heart as big as Texas,” Coach Grobe said. “When she sees a need, she springs to action to make sure that need is taken care of.”
Richardson is interested in continuing her impact with special education, even if it is not directly through the college. She plans to volunteer to carry her impact throughout the future.
“The situation in kindergarten led to my entire life,” Richardson said. “It’s impacted me in a way of understanding differences and being able to look at everyone with a different perspective.”
This story was originally published on Grove Media News on September 27, 2024.