Following its performance at a Universal Cheerleaders Association home camp in the summer, the Varsity Cheer team got the opportunity to join Varsity, an organization which led them, and hundreds of other cheerleaders from across the United States in a 23 minute long performance at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Day Parade on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.

To be eligible to perform, each team member was required to gain All-American status, which is achieved by an assessment of dance routines and stunts. Once the All-American status is achieved, athletes can choose a performance to be a part of. Events range from halftime at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando to the New Years Day parade in Rome. Ultimately, the team members came to the decision that they wanted to go to Honolulu.

Junior and captain Rita Bondar said that despite potential difficulties in planning the logistics, the team agreed that the trip to the Pearl Harbor parade was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Head Coach Kendal Houck, who spent countless hours coordinating hotels, flights, transportation and dinner reservations, agrees with Bondar on the additional time commitment required for the parade.

“It’s just like you go on a family vacation and you’re trying to coordinate it,” Houck said. “If you have a family of six, it’s the same kind of thing — making sure that restaurants were going to be available, so we were showing up with 12 people to dinner.” 

Though the trip required a lengthy planning process, the team was proud to perform in the parade. Houck was happy that the squad was able to connect with other teams and see familiar faces, specifically spotters, who act as safety personnel during competition stunts.

“I would say my biggest accomplishment was the team performing in the parade itself,” Houck said. “Feeling that connectivity and then being able to meet other cheerleaders from across the nation was really cool. The team loved seeing the Varsity reps because most of the people that were at the parade are usually ones that are spotters during competitions, so they’ll probably run into them again at Nationals, which is really cool to think about.” 

Both Bondar and senior Pari Goel say the parade performance was successful and the team created many fun memories together, including getting shaved ice, meeting other teams and visiting beaches. With the team lineup consisting of half freshmen and half upperclassmen, Goel says the trip was filled with unique experiences due to the team dynamic. 

“The freshmen were full of spirit, happy and energetic and we were just tired because we’re juniors and seniors,” Goel said. “We had to split it up, but it was funny when we went to get gelato one night, and we were tired from the parade. The seniors just wanted to go home and go to bed. The freshmen were jumping around and yelling the parade dances and the chants, and everyone was looking at them like it was crazy.”

Aside from participating in the parade, the team also spent a few days in Hawaii to fully enjoy the trip. The team toured UH Manoa, walked around the city, visited the Polynesian Cultural Center and went to the beach. Specifically, Bondar recalls their love for acai bowls and shaved ice, with the team often getting sweet treats multiple times a day. Bondar also notes how the Hawaii trip allowed the team to build connections with each other. 

“My favorite memory was our beach day, because we had a whole day dedicated to the beach, and it was really, really fun,” Bondar said. “We got to see one beach where we got to see all the islands in Hawaii. It was really pretty, and just spending time with everyone was really nice. It was a really good team bonding experience, and I feel like we all got closer through that.” 

For Goel and the team, the trip was unlike any other competition and quickly became a highlight of the season. Bondar, Goel and Houck all share similar feelings on the success of the parade, with high hopes to achieve All-American again next season and attend similar events in the future. 

“It was just so cute to see them all out there and super excited when they did the parade,” Houck said. “They saw the other Varsity shows performing, and they all started to make me emotional. They all waved, and it was just super exciting and super cute, and it was cool to see that kind of connectivity.”