Shepard students qualify for Team USA

Shepard High School sophomore Gia Swanson and junior Jenna Bader will travel to Milan, Italy, in February to compete with Team USA figure skating.

They qualified with the other members of Teams Elite, a synchronized skating team. Teams Elite became the first team in U.S. Figure Skating history to earn a place on Team USA in their inaugural season competing at the Junior level.

Juniors are the highest level of competition for skaters between the ages of 13 and 18.

Teams Elite earned their spot on Team USA after competitions in Mentor, Ohio in early November and Anaheim, California in mid-November. They placed first and fourth, respectively.

In Milan they will compete in a short program, set to the song “Survivor” by Beyonce, and a long program to music from “Romeo and Juliet.”