After 23 National Championships, cheerleaders and dancers at
Hawaii Pacific University are experiencing budget cuts at its finest. After
returning home in April from the Cheer and Dance National Competition, HPU participants
were told this would be their last year of competition.
Ohana for life. Photo Credit: HPU Cheer and Dance |
According to Todd Simmons, Hawaii Pacific’s VP of Marketing and Communications, “We’re bringing expenses related to this program, more in line with what we want the size and scope of the cheer and dance programs to be. They’ve grown significantly in expenses over the past four years and we’re trying to bring the cost in.”
HPU's dancers circle up before their friends and family sendoff for nationals. Photo Credit: HPU Dance |
Despite the upsetting news, these college athletes are pushing harder than ever to keep their tradition alive. In the efforts to do so HPU cheerleaders and dancers have participated in may activities to raise awareness on this issue and have raised over $7,000 to go towards their team accounts.
2011-2012 National Champions! Photo Credit: HPU Cheer |
Petitions, social media support, fundraisers, flash mobs, and much more, have been a contribution to this debate. Cheerleaders and dancers hope the school will recognize their effort to save the Hawaii Pacific cheer and dance legacy and their decision will be influenced by their love for the program.
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