She makes everyone in her presence smile.
When Isabella Peterson walks into cheer practice she jumps around in excitement as she greets her fellow cheerleaders.
“Oh my gosh, hi,” she says as her bubbly attitude fills the air.
From being on the mat for cheer to simply being around, she never fails to light up the room.
Peterson joined the cheer team her sophomore year and is now a junior on varsity. Transferring from the dance team, she was a great new addition to the cheer team. Whether she is in front of a crowd or in practice, the light she brings to the table is contagious.
“Bella is the most kind-hearted person I have ever met,” Peterson’s teammate Elizabeth Duce said. “She always thinks of others before herself. She gives the best hugs and I’ll always know that she is there for me, even though we don’t talk often.”
Cheer is an outlet for Peterson, and it helps her clear her mind.
“It just makes me feel at peace,” Peterson said.
Cheer has also helped Peterson to develop new friendships.
“I have met some of my favorite people in cheer and now I can call them my best friends,” Peterson said.
A bond made on the mat is like no other. From seeing each other almost every day for months to sharing moments with each other outside of practice, these friendships can last a lifetime.
“My favorite moments have been times where my teammates and I hang out together away from cheer,” Peterson said.
She especially enjoys the little get-togethers some of her teammates have and she has shared whether it is going to get food after a practice or even going to church with them.
“My favorite memory of Bella is our first competition together,” said Peterson’s teammate Annalie Terzulli said. “We were partners in our part of the dance and she had to learn it super quickly. We both did it perfectly and it was such a happy experience to finish that routine together and see the biggest smile on her face. I knew then she was the perfect addition to our team and was super excited to get to know her better.”
Peterson’s go-to karaoke song is Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfeld. Not only does she choose it because she knows it by heart, but also because it reminds her of how her story is not set in stone and she can live it the way she wants.
Today, Peterson hopes to become either a doctor or a lawyer when she grows up, but when she was younger she always dreamed of being a cheerleader.
“There is a picture of me somewhere with a sign saying that I wanted to be a cheerleader when I was older and now here I am,” Peterson said.
