Deaf students join Francis Howell North Hich School cheerleading team in St. Charles, Mo.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- "Go Knights!" the squad yelled from the soccer field sidelines as they flew into the air in a flurry of kicks and quick jumps.

The girls shook their shiny black pompoms furiously as the boys shouted into megaphones.

In the back row, three of the cheerleaders were watching the rest of the squad closely. They read lips to find out what cheer the captain was calling. They kept an eye on an interpreter using sign language nearby. When it was time to cheer again, they felt the rhythm they had practiced over and over.

"Black and gold, keep up the beat. Clap your hands and stomp your feet," they shouted, moving side to side in step with the others.

Rachel Hampton and Dylan Thayer, both 16, were born profoundly deaf in both ears. Brryan Jackson, 17, lost some of his hearing when medication damaged the nerve endings in his ears. All three tried out for cheerleading this year at Francis Howell North High School and made the junior varsity squad. The school is home to the district's deaf education program for high school students.

"I never thought about cheerleading before, but I feel really good out there," Hampton said. "I used to be really shy, used to have only deaf friends, now I'm making more hearing friends."

Although some schools for deaf students have cheerleading squads, it's still uncommon for hearing-impaired teens to cheer with high school squads full of students who can hear. Deaf students have been on athletic teams at Francis Howell North, but these are the school's first deaf cheerleaders since the district's deaf education program began about 17 years ago, said Lynann Barnett, a teacher in the program.

The National Cheerleaders Association also says deaf cheerleaders are rare. The Francis Howell North squad was the only one with hearing impaired cheerleaders that Missouri NCA officials could recall at recent summer camps.

Advances in hearing technology and deaf education in the past two decades have helped hearing-impaired children have success alongside those who can hear, say experts in St. Louis, where some parents relocate because of the area's oral schools.

When Hampton was 15 months old, doctors found she couldn't hear. The family moved from Arkansas to the St. Louis area so Hampton could attend an oral school for the deaf. She learned to speak and has a cochlear implant that helps her hear.

Dylan Thayer tried out for cheerleading after impressing JV coach Erica Gittemeier during class one day with his "Bop to the Top" dance moves from "High School Musical."

Thayer wears hearing aids. There is an interpreter available to him and the others during the school day and at cheerleading if they need help communicating.

Gittemeier, the JV coach, said she encouraged the kids to try out because they are good students who work hard.

Their fellow cheerleaders have been supportive, some working one-on-one with them until they feel comfortable with the cheers. They break down the cheers into two parts: words and motions. They learn each separately before combining the two for the cheer. During the fall season of soccer and football, the squad typically has practice twice and cheers at two games during the school week.

Captain Alyssa Rickermann, 16, said the squad is still working with them to perfect their rhythm.

"They're getting a lot better," she said.

All three say they are glad they tried something new, and look forward to cheering throughout the year.

"If you want to do something, go for it," Brryan said. "Don't let anybody put limits on you."