The Silver Stars do more than just dance and look pretty. Hours of work and discipline are behind each of the 20-25 dances they learn each year.

Behind the scenes is a whole set of rules and demerits, a chill room and a hierarchy only the Silver Stars really understand.

The leaders are split between military and social officers. Military officers work with the performing aspect of the team, and the social officers work with promoting the team and throwing celebrations.

At the very top of their political pyramid is Cyndi Vaughn, the dance director. Next in line is Colonel Hannah Richardson. Her job is to lead the practice and clean up dances. Next is Lieutenant Colonel Aryana White, who helps the colonel as well as picks the outfits for dances and the makeup for events. There are two majors: Madi Reither and Jayla Deathrage. One of the majors helps with technique during practices and the other is like the mother of the rookies. She helps them with anything they need and gives them support. The last officers are the captains: Georgia Zelesky, Kyra Ivy and Kaitlyn Wells. They help with anything the other officers need.

Being an officer in the Silver Stars is no easy task. It’s a three-month audition that involves knowing all the important people in the school and the handbook, performing for judges outside of the school, giving a speech and being interviewed by the whole team, being voted by the team, taking a solo to contest twice and never getting a demerit.

The auditions may have an official start but auditions really start the day you make the team.

In order to letter you have to serve a whole year, you can’t ever fail any class, and you have to take a solo to contest and make a 94 percent or 95 percent on the dance.

Being an officer is about more than being a good dancer. Hard work and leadership is key. Respect is earned and demanded. Any time an officer speaks to the team the team must answer with “ma’am” as a sign of both respect and to let the person speaking know that they were heard.

“We have a lot of leadership in our team,” Vaughn said.

Even if a dancer does not become an officer, there are perks for the seniors. They get to do everything first. When the team does anything they go in order of rank then grade. The rookies even have to hold the door for the seniors.

White said everyone respects the rookies because they were all there before; and the rookies respect the seniors because they will one day be seniors and even get access to the famous Chill Room.

The Chill Room is the dressing room for the seniors where they can change and relax. They have couches, a microwave, their own cubby they get to decorate and even a mini fridge.

Appearance is an unspoken rule for the Stars. They have a reputation to uphold, and it’s important to them to hold it. While in uniform they stay in character.  

However, despite all the hard work and dedication of these members, it is not lost on them that they are heavily judged and watched. Some members of the student body even have vulgar names for them.

“It is easy to judge,” White said.

The reaction of how some in the school feel about them was a melancholy one. The group of girls all had sad faces.

“It’s easy for someone to say bad things about people, it is hard to say, ‘Oh wow, they’re really good,’” Vaughn said. “It doesn’t define us.”

The Silver Stars turn the other cheek to the scrutiny.

There is rarely time to relax too much, however. The Stars have practice every day after school from 3-5 p.m., and during competition season it’s 3-9 p.m. until their routine is perfect.

Even the parents have to be dedicated. All parents of team members have to be signed up for Remind 101 and volunteer at Silver Star events.