It’s a cheer team with no limits. Known as the Bethlehem Superstars, a group of local high school students is spreading sheer joy as they perform.
On Thursday, Global News attended the cheer squad’s practice right before a pep rally at Bethlehem Catholic High School.
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The cheer team consists of 16 members, 12 have special needs, another four are from the senior team. It also seems like everywhere they go the squad is stealing the spotlight and a big part of that is 18-year-old Jeffre Hubert, who’s joy for spreading smiles far surpasses anything you’ve ever seen.
“He is…so fun, he’s friendly, he’s the king of the school,” said Cheryl Lenz-Fabian, functionally integrated learning assistance teacher at Bethlehem Catholic High School.
“He’s wants to try everything now.”
Jeffre’s mom Barb, who was in the audience on Thursday, said he loves the crowds. From what we observed that day, it would appear the crowds reciprocate that feeling and love him just as much.
“He likes to make people laugh that’s a big part of it, he’s a funny guy,” said Barb Hubert.
“He likes to have people smiling and he’s really, really changed a lot in the last little while.”
Barb credits the cheer squad with helping Jeffre spread his wings.
“Very often kids are left to the wayside and it is important to show the world really that these kids can do anything,” Barb said.
“They are just valuable to the community just as much a person like you and I and they deserve that.”
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After hours of practicing their new routine at home and at school, the Bethlehem Superstars were ready to wow the crowd as the finale to the pep rally.
Greeted with applause from hundreds of students, it was finally time to perform. Nothing the squad does surprises their coach but she said they often blow people away at their performances.
“They’re surprised at how much they can do and it doesn’t surprise me because I don’t limit them, I push them to the next level and once they attain the goal that we’ve made – we’re moving up the next level,” Lenz-Fabian said.
So what’s it like to be in the audience? Jeffre’s mom said words can’t describe it, it’s a feeling that washes over you in the moment.
“It’s just sort of like a warm feeling of …just everybody so proud and so happy for these guys because they can do anything.”
Anything because being different – can also make you pretty special.
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