Spunky, spirited, squeaky, she is the “baby” of the varsity cheerleading squad.

Meilani Quilenderino came well prepared for cheerleading. The freshman comes with a background in 12 years of Tahitian dancing, two years cheering for the Stockton Bears, one year for the SJ Rams, and beauty pageants.

“With cheer her dance helps with performance,” said Alexis Medina, junior and co-captain of the team. “She brings in an extra style, something unique.”

As Meilani cheers, every shout and move is the result of passion. Cheer is not only a hobby to her but also another place she has a family. In fact, she calls her coach “Mommy.”

“She’s an awesome little cheerleader,” said Pauline Juarez, varsity cheer coach. “Being around older girls is her opportunity to learn.”

Starting varsity cheerleading was not all that easy for her. Some of the girls did not accept her on the team. With experience from dancing Meilani was able to get past the obstacle.

“There was no issue (putting her on varsity),” Juarez said. “She performed well and (had) awesome energy. I can say it (may have been) jealousy.”

Working with the girls Meilani proved herself by never falling behind in the dance steps or cheering. She gives it her all when she cheers and dances, gaining the acceptance of the other girls.

“I think she’s good enough to be on varsity,” sophomore JV cheerleader Carol McFarland said. “She’s good at what she does.”

According to her mother, Martie Quilenderino, “she came out dancing from the time she was born and was always dressing up… We had to do something with her.”

Meilani truly follows after her mother in terms of her behavior, personality, and especially voice. Mother and daughter sound so much alike, if they were to scream it would be hard to tell who was who. Always there for one another mother and daughter are best friends.

“(When) I felt like giving up she pushed me,” Meilani said. “I love her so much I don’t know what I would do without her. Never letting anyone push me down.”

Often people misjudge Meilani before getting to know her. If they look closer they will learn that she is a girl that is close to her mother, caring, and worries about others before herself.

While Meilani may seem strong at all times she admits the pressure of school, cheer, and pageants does get to her. She copes with the stress by writing poetry and always remembering what her mother tells her before a pageant.

Meilani has participated in beauty pageants since she was 2. Her first competition was for Little Miss Hawaiian Tropics, which she won. From there she went on to Los Angeles to compete for nationals and took first princess with the best smile out of 80 babies.

She competes in beauty pageants for scholarships and not the crown. The competitions she enters are judged mainly on academic and community service, with beauty being only five percent and talent three percent.

Her current title is Miss California National Junior Teenager.

When the pressure builds up Meilani just remembers what her mom tells her before every beauty pageant “to be pretty on the outside you must first be pretty on the inside” like her mother told her.