Langston Hughes asked, “What happens to a dream deferred?” For Cheer Captain Qhiara Brooks, that’s a question that she could not answer. “I chose to go into cheerleading because it was something I always wanted to do when I was younger!” she said.

After years of practice, her most memorable experience would have to be coming in first place at the JAMZ Nationals. “I was really nervous because it was my first time competing, but in the end it was really fun!” said Brooks.

She started cheering when she was only seven years old, and has been cheering for Armijo since her freshman year. She is planning to go to UC Berkeley after she graduates in 2023, but she said she is not sure if she plans to focus on cheer when she is there. “I’m honestly not sure yet,” she said. “It’s between cheerleading and running track!” Over the years, she has also participated in dance, basketball and soccer.

“Cheer takes a lot of time and commitment,” said Brooks. For those who want to pursue it, she encourages them to “be confidant, be ready to work and stay positive… It may seem like you can’t do something, but you truly can if you put your mind to it!”

Cheering hasn’t been easy the last couple of years due to COVID. “It put a pause on something I love to do, so I was upset about that,” said Brooks, “but I had to stay active so I decided to run track with my friends.” That got her passionate about that sport.

Brooks can see a positive side to the pandemic and Distance Learning, too. “When it comes to school in my opinion it made school way easier for me,” she said.

Her goal after college is to become a neonatal nurse, “that is a nurse that takes care of infants starting 28 days after birth.”