Marking one of the program’s most successful years since Unified Cheer started in August of the 2023-2024 school year, Yukon’s Unified Cheer team wrapped up their season undefeated after winning first place at State, Regionals and Winter Games.
Joy Bjerk, head cheer leading coach, helped the students put together routines. Staci Talaoc, a para-educator and special education teachers Madison Broadbent and Garrison Hamilton helped coach on the athlete’s side of cheer
“Unified Cheer combines our special needs athletes with Gen Ed students where they perform at different events and competitions against other schools,” Hamilton said. “We cheer on the sidelines with the cheerleaders at football games and assemblies.”
Throughout the season, Unified Cheer practiced once a day, every week since the beginning of school in August until early January. Junior and varsity cheerleader, Kinsley Smith believed that engagement within the school was important.
“I like cheer a lot,” Smith said. “It keeps me involved in the school and just a part of a team. We put a lot of time and effort into Unified Cheer.”
Unified Cheer had two different teams, a sideline team and a competition team. The competition team required tryouts and competed at state on Nov. 15, 2025 at Union High School in Tulsa, OK. Competitions consisted of three different components that the students performed in front of judges: a cheer, a band chant and the Yukon fight song.
“They’re able to do a lot more than I feel people may be aware of,” Hamilton said. “They’re able to memorize the whole routine and not just do the motions the whole time.”
Throughout the season, the students gathered together for parties, cookie decorating and making marshmallow fruit dip which unified the team. Jordan Holcer, who participated since 2023, was pleased with how the season went this year.
When Yukon was announced as state champion, Holcer highlighted how the whole team jumped with joy in excitement, proud to take home the title of state champions for the 2025-2026 school year.
