ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Cheerleaders from RPS 205 schools, Guilford, Jefferson, East, and Auburn, all worked together to show community pride.

“We’re building community, sense of belonging, camaraderie, between our Rockford area schools,” said Guilford head Cheer coach Alexis Henderson. “We think today is all about sportsmanship, showing that Rockford is one.”

District organizers say the hope is that these athletes will see each other as fellow cheerleaders, rather than rivals.

“Every year it’s not going to always be the same people so like your meeting new people introducing new people and so I feel like it would be a great thing to carry on,” says Jefferson student Fernanda Gonzalez.

“It helps them understand that, yes, at the end of the day, we might go against each other during competition season, but we can all still get along,” said East head Cheer coach Paige Mattoon. “We all have the same goals, so we should lean on each other and support each other.