Well Deserved Recognition

Do you remember back in November when I posted about Megan Bomgaars, the girl with Downs Syndrome who is a cheerleader at an Evergreen, Colorado, high school? Just to refresh your memory a bit, even though Megan sometimes has a hard time keeping up with the routines, her teammates wouldn't even consider the notion of not including her when they went to tournament. So at the Jeffco Spirit Invitational at Columbine High School last November, Megan was front and center. Midway through the Evergreen routine, when other cheerleaders lifted Megan to the top of their formation, the crowd exploded with loud applause. It must have been SO awesome! Yep, she and her teammates and coach made school and state history. I was so proud that they were representing Colorado in such a brilliant way!

Well guess what? Now they are going to be honored in the nation's capital!!

Megan and Coach Tammy Dufford will receive the "National High School Spirit of Sport Award" from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

According to the NFHS, the award is given to those who "exemplify the ideals of the spirit of sport that represents the core mission of education-based athletics." Isn't that awesome?!

Oh, and by the way, the team thrived in competitions last fall, taking third place at the Jeffco Spirit Invitational and winning the Small Varsity Division at a regional competition. The Evergreen Cheer Squad also received a statewide award for good sportsmanship from the Colorado High School Athletics Association (CHSAA).

A written release from the National Federation of State High School Associations praised the team for their example. "This is an exceptional story and one that embodies all that is good and right about high school sports," the statement read.

I'm so proud of them all and couldn't be more happy for Megan!

Evergreen High School Cheer Team, Megan Bomgaars