Dejai Love had always wanted to be a cheerleader, and last week Bowie High School cheerleaders granted her that wish.
Love is a ninth-grader at BHS who suffers from Down Syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that’s associated with physical growth delays and distinguished facial features.
“We try to involve as many kids as possible,” said BHS cheer sponsor Nicole Jordan. “I think it’s important for everyone to be included because they are part of the school spirit.”
Love wanted to be a cheerleader for Halloween, and she was all decked out for the BHS pep rally and the game against Paradise.
Jordan said she had an old uniform Love could wear, and she performed well.
“Dejai did great,” Jordan said. “She did great in practice on Thursday and Friday, and she knew the cheers. She kept up the whole game.”
Love stays in Brooke Hunter’s self-contained classroom at the high school where she learns life skills.
The moment touched Amy Justiss, Love’s mother, so much she wrote a letter to the Bowie cheerleaders.
“Today, you made a little girl’s dream come true,” Justiss said. “She has always wanted to cheer, and since she is special needs no one would let her join their team.”
Justiss said Love enjoys watching the cheerleaders and mascot.
“Watching her (Dejai), I couldn’t help but cry, her smile from ear to ear was one I have never seen before,” Justiss said.
Justiss called the cheerleaders heroes for their actions.
“Your parents and teachers should be very proud of you all,” added Justiss, who works in Bridgeport for a monster truck promotion. “Thank you for being kids she can look up to and feel safe with.”
There are scores of videos from both the game and pep rally on Facebook, and Love was spot on with her routines. Read more in the Nov. 5. Bowie News.

Bowie’s Dejai Love (center) cheers during an Oct. 28 game versus Paradise at Jackrabbit Stadium. (News photo by Eric Viccaro) 

Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.