As the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros get ready for their next football game, the cheer team is also preparing.

One cheerleader is even honoring her hometown, Uvalde, with a unique tribute.

For sophomore Madi Velasquez, making the UTRGV cheer team was a dream come true.

"I was at a baby shower there in Uvalde and that's when I saw my number was on there. I had actually texted the account, 'hey, did I make it?' just to make sure. They told me yes, you made the team, and I just started crying. My whole family was there, so we were all crying and excited," Madi said.

Madi grew up about 85 miles west of San Antonio, in the tight-knit community of Uvalde, one that was forever changed on May 24, 2022.

"To me, it is something, to me, that is so tragic that I can't put into words. It's something that I still think about to this day," Madi said.

It's an event that sent shockwaves across the country. A gunman entered Robb Elementary School, killing 19 children, two teachers, and injuring 17 others.

Madi, who once attended Robb Elementary, was in high school at the time.

"It was very traumatic, and it's at times hard to speak about," Madi said.

Three years later, the healing in Uvalde continues, as do the tributes, and that's where Madi comes in.

In her first year at UTRGV, Madi wanted to do something special to honor her community and the lives lost on that horrific day.

So she reached out to the father of Ellie Garcia, a student at Robb Elementary whose life was cut short at just nine-years-old.

"It was just a real touching message that she would want to dedicate it to Ellie," Madi said.

From jumping on the bed to playing with her four sisters, Ellie was always on the go, and like Madi, she was a cheerleader, a proud member of the Jr. Coyote Cheer Team.

As a tribute to Ellie, Madi wears bands that were given to her by Ellie's dad, Steven Garcia. One says "Uvalde Strong," the other says "Live Like Ellie."

"She was very positive, very bright. Didn't know how to dance, but she would go out there and dance in the middle of everybody. Kind of just a free-spirited person. That's pretty much where this goes, be fearless, go out there and shine and do it whether you know how to do it or not, you know?" Steven said.

And with these bands, Madi shines even brighter, with Ellie right by her side at every Vaqueros game.

"It means the absolute world, because that's exactly where Ellie would want to be. Again, it means a lot to myself and my family," Steven said. "I hope you go out there, and you shine, and you live like Ellie, every step of the way."

"For him, giving me the ok and to say, 'you know what, I want you to represent Ellie, and I'm ok with it,' is something I am forever grateful for," Madi said.

Madi is Uvalde strong, in the Valley. Her dream has come true, and she's fulfilling Ellie's dream in the process.

Last week, a new school in Uvalde, Legacy Elementary School, opened its doors to students for the first time. 

A beautiful tree is just one of the many ways, the school is honoring the memory of those that were lost. The tree, which is inside the school, has a total of 21 branches, one for each of the victims, including Ellie Garcia.

Watch the video above for the full story.