As the school year was winding down at Arleta High School, students enjoyed a boisterous midday pep rally to celebrate Arleta High’s athletes, band and dance team, and to cheer on the co-ed cheer team, which won two major competitions during the 2025-2026 school year.
Members of the Arleta High Cheer team placed first in two CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) Los Angeles City Cheer Championships. They were named Small Division Co-Ed Non-Tumbling Champions for 2025-2026, and Large Division Game Day Champions for 2026.
The cheer team, which performs at school sports games, pep rallies and concerts, has been on a winning streak in recent years, proud coach Teresa Bezerra told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol. They won the CIF State Championship in 2025, have earned four consecutive CIF LA City Championship titles and had a third-place varsity finish at the USA Cheer Nationals.
Bezerra, who has coached at Arleta High for 17 years, attributes their success in part to having core members who have been working together to create a winning team over the past four years.
“My current seniors came in in ninth grade. None of them had ever cheered before,” she recalled. The senior students on the team at the time weren’t interested in competing, but the incoming ninth graders were enthusiastic about it “so I put the ninth graders in,” said Bezerra.
“They learned everything, and they worked hard, and they caught on fire once we started to win, and they just love it,” she said. “They love what they do, and they love each other, and I think it makes a difference. I’m a super hard worker [and] they follow along and do whatever I ask them to do, and they do it with a smile.
“When we go places, we also get complimented on how nice and kind they are, too,” added Bezerra. “To me, that’s huge. I feel like it’s important to have that kind of culture of hard work and kindness, and we just keep pushing ourselves to go on to the next level.”
Saleen Lopez, a senior captain on the team, credited her coaches, teammates and their parents for their success.
“It feels amazing to be living with this legacy, that we have won so much,” said Lopez. “It makes the past four years of all the tears, the hard work and the dedication all worth it.”
Fellow senior team captain Milton Mendez agrees.
“It’s been very rewarding,” said Mendez, noting that “we put a lot of time and effort and love into this sport, and it’s been really nice just having us getting recognized with these awards.”