Generation Spirit Q&A with Founder Sarah Cronk

Generation Spirit, formerly known as The Sparkle Effect, empowers students to create spirit teams that bring together peers with and without disabilities and transforms school culture to one where all students feel valued and celebrated!

We hosted a Q&A session with Generation Spirit Founder, Sarah Cronk to answer all of your questions about Generation Spirit, how you can get involved and more. Check out the Q&A below and visit Generation Spirit here to learn even more!

Q: How did you come to start the organization?

I started Generation Spirit in high school after seeing how inclusion impacted my brother (who has a disability). I saw how adaptive cheer can be and started and inclusive team at my school. I started the organization a year later to try to start more teams.

Q: When you were younger, did you want Generation Spirit to be your job?

Fun Fact: Generation Spirit has never been my full time job! I’ve always balanced it on top of school and then work. I would love to work on Generation Spirit full time though. That’d be a dream come true!

Q: I’m a captain of a sparkle/Generation Spirit team. Any advice/activity ideas for virtual practices?

Great Q! Let go of some of the pressure around skill building and use this time to connect with teammates. Come up with questions of the week and brainstorm with your team about how you can still be spirit ambassadors even when schools are closed.

Q: How do you start a team?

Visit us at https://www.generationspirit.org/! There’s a form you can fill out and then a member of our staff will walk you through the process step by step.

Q: What’s your favorite memory from working with Generation Spirit?

I love seeing teams get their new uniforms for the first time! The uniform is such a sense of belonging and unity. It gets me teary eyed every time!

Q: Did you study disabilities and their traits before starting the (the first) team or just go straight in?

Nope! I learned a lot about disability over time but didn’t know much when I first started. You don’t need to be an expert on disability to start or join a Generation Spirit team, you just need to have an open mind and heart and be ready to listen/learn! That’s what an inclusive mindset is all about.

Q: Why did the name change from The Sparkle Effect?

“The Sparkle Effect” was a play on the term ripple effect. We wanted to create a ripple effect of inclusion from the original sparkles team. Now, we’re 225 teams strong and our vision is much bigger than that! We want to build the next generation of inclusion ambassadors, which is why we’re now Generation Spirit.

Q: Do teams only cheer at football games? Or is it a full year commitment?

Everyone needs a cheerleader! We encourage our teams to show up for teams and other groups that may not traditionally receive spirit support.

Q: What do we do if we have a Generation Spirit team at our school but it’s not being offered this year?

This year looks different for everyone. But if you want tips/tricks to get your team back on track, contact us! We’re still helping schools nationwide navigate this crazy year!

Q: Are Generation Spirit teams only for high school?

Nope! Middle school, high school and college

Q: Do you have to be a cheerleader to start a team?

No! Anyone interested in inclusion and creating a more spirited culture at your school can start a team!

Want to learn more about Generation Spirit or start a team at your school? Click here to get started![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]