George Washington's cheer team to become first Philly Public League school to head to Nationals
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Football season is in full swing and so are homecoming events. In this week's Focusing on the Future series, the cheerleaders at George Washington High have a lot to be thankful for.
The competitive team set a goal, reached it and now they've even set a bigger goal.
"Our coaches are like shaking and they're like surprised," Adamaris Lopez, a cheer captain, said. "We hit it."
"We can hardly believe it," Michele Sorkin-Socki, the head coach of George Washington's cheer team, said.
The George Washington High School cheer team will be the first in the Philadelphia Public League to compete at the National Cheerleaders' Association in Dallas now that they've raised over $35,000.
Just over a month ago, we met with the team as they were just beginning to fundraise. Two cheer captains were confident then.
"There's a lot of people that we can't let down," Lopez said.
"Thank you guys and we thank everyone that's donating to us and supporting our team," Irsida Kola, a cheer captain, said.
Sorkin-Socki and fellow head coach Veronica Hayes said the hotel rooms and flights are just about booked, but their team still needs a few more things that'll really make them shine.
"Right now we are fundraising for apparel bags, shoes, we need new pom poms and we need new signs," Sorkin-Socki said.
As these 18 girls prepare for Nationals, supporting them in more ways than one are seniors and football captains Josiah and roland.
The two are both backs, supporting the legs of members of the cheer team while they're in the air.
Starting on Friday night at George Washington's homecoming game, the school will be selling blue ribbons and bracelets. They are in honor of the victims at Roxborough high School, where five students were shot earlier this week, including one that died.
All proceeds will go to those affected by the violence.
A sign of solidarity from the George Washington community.
Know an outstanding high school senior that deserves recognition? Let us know by completing the form below and we may select the student to be featured in our "Focusing on the Future" series.