Aurora Central High School cheer and dance teams give community something to cheer about
For the first time ever, both Aurora Central High School's cheerleading and dance teams are heading to national competitions.
"It was mind-blowing," said dance coach Bianca Hill about learning the team had qualified. "It was amazing. I was in tears."
Hill says it's been an exciting journey to watch the girls work as a team, but also embrace their individuality.
"I have girls from Ghana, I have girls from Venezuela, and they're learning different styles and different cultures because they're all earning something from each other," she said.
Qualifying for nationals is personal for cheer coach Sarah Bennett-Allhusen. She's an alumnus of not just Aurora Central, but also the cheer team.
"It means the world to me because I didn't get this opportunity when I was in school," Benett-Allhusen said.
But getting to their respective competitions in Las Vegas and Orlando isn't cheap and they're asking for community support.
The Aurora Central Dance team is raising money to cover travel, lodging, and fees for the competition in Orlando. They have an online fundraiser on GoFundMe called "Support Aurora Central Dance Team's Nationals Dream."
The Aurora Central Varsity Cheer Team is also raising money to cover travel, lodging, and fees for the competition in Las Vegas. They have an online fundraiser on GoFundMe called "Help Aurora Central Cheer Compete in Las Vegas for Nationals."