BY MONIQUE REA
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Senior Dani Coulter’s involvement throughout her years at Roseville High School has given her the opportunity to make several friendships, specifically with this year’s graduating class.

As a child, Dani had selective mutism, an anxiety disorder characterized by the inability to speak and communicate in certain social settings. Despite this, Dani has become involved in several extracurriculars in the past four years.

Dani has been a part of the Special Olympics for six years and has become a part of Sierra Ice Thunder, a competitive special-needs cheer group, this school year.

Dani’s cheer coach Kelsey Robinson sees Dani as a valued member of the squad and appreciates Coulter’s growth and involvement on the team.

“Dani is a prime member of our team. Socially, she’s a crack up. She keeps us all laughing and engages with everyone on the team,” Robinson said. “Athletically, she’s doing awesome learning all the different skills that come with cheerleading like jumps, stunting, and tumbling.”

Robinson believes Dani’s most unique qualities are her honesty and her ability to always put a smile on people’s face.

Dani enjoys being a part of the team. Especially sharing her involvement with her friends.

“My favorite part of cheer is sending pictures of my cheer outfit to Sydney [Freeman],” Coulter said.

According to her mother Rose Dani, Dani gets excited when she sees members of the Roseville High School cheer team at her own meets.

“One time she went to a cheer competitions and ran into the Roseville High School cheer team and she was so excited because she got to see Kate Reilly and Sachi Aguillo,” Rose said.

Not only does she get involved outside of school, Dani participates in events at RHS as well. Dani has been apart of RHS’ dance shows for three years.

“She has loved dancing alongside her friends and hanging out backstage,” Rose said.

Dani is also member of Tiger Pride, a club that encourages friendships between mainstream and special needs students.

Dani inspired the creation of Tiger Pride after becoming friends with seniors Maddy Furdek and Marina Efstathiu. Both girls became friends with Dani freshman year in their P.E. class. Dani’s friendship with Furdek is one of the reasons Furdek wanted to see more integration with students of all abilities.

Dani’s relationship with Efstathiu and Furdek gave her the opportunity to meet more new people at RHS.

“At first she was shy since she didn’t know me, but as we’ve grown up together she’s been more herself and now she’s willing to say more than she used to,” Efstathiu said.

Rose is grateful for her daughter’s friends since Dani enjoys spending time with them.

“Since making more friends at Roseville, Dani loves to go out, she goes to school events like football games and she sees all her friends and they either come and sit with her or she goes into the Tiger Cage to talk to them,” Rose said. “She just knows everyone and loves being a part of things.”

Dani’s friend, senior Sachi Aguillo, believes Coulter has had a great influence on Roseville High School. According to Aguillo, Dani’s involvement and positive attitude doesn’t goes unnoticed.

“It’s great that she’s so involved and that she makes an effort to be apart of this school and it pays off because everyone at Roseville knows Dani,” Aguillo said. “I think her having so much school spirit helps other students get involved too.”