(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Abbee Jutkins, center, is joined by Riverton High dance company members Mikayla Milligan, left, and Gentry Rose as they shake purple pom noms during a rehearsal at Kauri Sue Hamilton School for special needs students on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018. Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members will be joined by Kauri Sue Hamilton School for an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Abbee Jutkins, left, shakes purple pom poms alongside Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members as they team up with special needs students from the Kauri Sue Hamilton School on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, for their final rehearsal before an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Dance Company Director Brynn Perkins warms up the students for Kauri Sue Hamilton School with different animal dance moves as Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members team up with special needs students on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, for their final rehearsal before an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Abbee Jutkins, center, a student at Kauri Sue Hamilton School for special needs kids is joined by Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, as they rehearse for an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Julian Lucero dances alongside Haylee Lamb as Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members team up with special needs students from the Kauri Sue Hamilton School on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, for their final rehearsal before an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Scott Reynolds who is autistic and protects his audio sensitivities follows along with Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members during a rehearsal with the special needs students from the Kauri Sue Hamilton School on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, before an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Dance Company Director Brynn Perkins warms up the students for Kauri Sue Hamilton School with different animal dance moves as Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members team up with special needs students on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, for their final rehearsal before an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Savannah Paxton and Gentry Rose, from left, join Scott Reynolds who is autistic and protects his audio sensitivities, in acting out animal sounds and poses as Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members team up with special needs students from Kauri Sue Hamilton Schoolon Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, for their final rehearsal before an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members team up with special needs students from the Kauri Sue Hamilton School on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, for their final rehearsal before an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Jayden Chavez reaches out for a fist bump with Morgan Sherwood as she and other Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company members team up with special needs students from the Kauri Sue Hamilton School on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, for their final rehearsal before an upcoming half-time performance on Friday when the Riverton High football team hosts Pleasant Grove.
Riverton High and Kauri Sue Hamilton School students from just down the street share a special bond. On Friday night, members of the Riverton High cheer, drill and dance company will team up with Kauri Sue Hamilton students, who have special needs, for a halftime performance during Riverton’s home football game against Pleasant Grove. Brynn Perkins, dance company director at Riverton who has had two children benefit from the services at Kauri Sue Hamilton, says “it has been so rich and rewarding” to work with the students.
Shaking Riverton-purple pompoms, kids of all abilities and their high school dance friends moved to the music of “Feel Better When I’m Dancing” from “The Peanuts Movie” as they worked on their final rehearsal Tuesday.