Middle schoolers are notorious for their tendency for bullying and chronic mistreatment of one another, but there are some positive stories as well. Three eighth-grade boys earned a positive reputation for themselves this week when they stood up for a disabled cheerleader who was being bullied by other students.
According to WTMJ in Milwaukee, Desiree Andrews is a cheerleader that doesn't always stick to the script. She has Down syndrome and loves cheering and dancing. She is often seen at middle school sport events cheering alongside other girls her age, with one exception: She's following her own script.
That made her the target of heckling by some other students at a recent basketball game. But three members of the team saw the bullying occurring and did something unexpected: They walked off the court in the middle of the game to confront the bullies and stand up for Andrews.
"The kids in the audience were picking on Dee, So we all stepped forward," says one of the boys.
According to the video, Andrews' relationship with the three boys has blossomed ever since. They walk her to class and make sure she isn't alone.
The boys also nicknamed the gymnasium "D's House" as a tribute to the girl, and administrators say they're going to make that nickname official.
Andrews told the nightly news was she thought of all the kindness: "Sweet, kind, awesome, amazing."
