He is thrown into the air – his blue hair catching the crowd’s attention – proving that on a cheer team, friendship, teamwork and spirit soar higher than any stereotype.

“When I was a flyer, I did things that a beginner flyer wouldn’t have done, and that earned me a spot on varsity as a freshman,” Jonathan Barajas said.

A sophomore at West Chicago Community High School, Barajas is the only boy on the female-dominated cheer team and is working to give the sport a different meaning. This is his first year as the only boy on the team, but he is unbothered by the fact.

“I feel like I get treated the same way everybody else gets treated,” Barajas said.

Close friend and sophomore Shamara Orozco first influenced Barajas to cheer when they were both in middle school. She often shared stories about her experiences and encouraged him to join a team someday. Now, as high schoolers, he has become a source of support for her, helping her work through challenges in cheer.

“He’s very uplifting. If you were having a bad day, he would be the person to listen and give you the advice you need to be the best version of yourself. When he joined cheer, he helped me through tough times and lots of mental blocks,” Orozco said.

Barajas and the coaches hope his presence will encourage more boys to try out cheerleading in the future.

Head Coach Beth Trimble has had the opportunity to coach Jonathan for two years and describes him as a hard-working asset.

“Having a boy on the team, especially a boy that can fly, elevates the routine. The crowd goes nuts when they see a boy flyer. Jonathan is truly an asset to our team,” Trimble said.

Barajas strives to continue to grow as an athlete. Already, he is a front-row jumper and fills two positions – backspotting and flying – roles that require flexibility. Barajas plans to continue perfecting his craft in hopes of being on a cheer team in college because there are typically more males at the collegiate level, and he believes male cheerleaders make a team better.

“I feel like my freshman year, I’ll definitely try it, and if I keep liking it, I’ll do my sophomore year in college, but I definitely see myself doing cheer in college,” Jonathan said.

On and off the mat, Barajas makes his own decisions. Now known throughout West Chicago Community High School for his blue hair, he claims he just wanted to be different. With plans to go dark purple, he likes to choose colors he has not seen other people wear. He is living his purpose and trying to stand out rather than blend in.

“I feel like a lot of people do red, and I didn’t want to be like anybody else. I don’t want to dye my hair red. I wanted to be someone different, so I chose blue,” Barajas said.

Not only is Barajas a trendsetter, but a family man, too. Barajas spends a lot of time with his family, building a strong relationship with his mom when he was little. They would spend time at the mall, visiting parks and playing in the snow, helping inspire his love for Christmas.

“I would definitely say I was a mommy’s boy, because my dad lived in West Chicago, and we both lived in Joliet,” Jonathan said.

This season is particularly important to Barajas, who enjoys shopping for people and wrapping their gifts before giving them away. For him, the Christmas spirit starts early.

“I really like the snow and seeing people put lights on their house and get creative with decorating, and just really feel the Christmas spirit. It was always a holiday I liked when I was a kid,” Barajas said.

Barajas’ family includes a number of pets, which play an important role in his life. He has a bird, four dogs and several fish. Barajas wants a German shepherd, guinea pig and snake in the near future. In the future, he wants to study animal science in the hopes of becoming a veterinarian.

“Them seeing how much you put in, and then the trust between a human and an animal is just, it’s unbreakable, and I really like it. It’s just something you can’t really describe,” Barajas said.

When not cheering, getting in the Christmas spirit or caring for his pets, one can find Jonathan shopping with friends at the mall, his favorites being Fox Valley and Woodfield, or simply relaxing after a long week of school and practice.

“I plan to hang out with my friends, or I just use my weekend as a rest day and get assignments done,” Barajas said.