Movie

Johnny Depp would play the character Shay Bourne. This character is on death row for murdering a child and police officer. He becomes very mentally unstable, and Johnny Depp would be good for this role because he is good at acting the way that Bourne needs to be portrayed.
Sandra Bullock would play the character June Nealon. This character loses her first husband in a car accident, her second husband and daughter are murdered, and her other daughter is dying from heart failure. Sandra Bullock would be perfect for this role because she is such a strong actress.
Nikki Blonsky would play the character Maggie. This character is the attorney for Shay Bourne and also struggles with her weight and appearance. Nikki Blonsky would be a good fit because she is strong willed just like Maggie is.
Kirk Cameron would play the character Michael. This character is on the jury that sentences Shay Bourne to death row, but later in life becomes a Priest and is Bourne's spiritual advisor. Kirk Cameron should have this role because he plays a spiritual role in the majority of the movies that he is in.
Shia Labeouf would play the character Lucius. This character is in the prison cell next to Shay Bourne. He was convicted for murdering his boyfriend and is also dying from AIDS. Shia Labeouf fits this role because he is such a convincing actor.
Abigail Breslin would play the character Claire. This character is June Nealon's daughter who is waiting for a heart transplant. She would be good at this because of the similar roles she has played in her other movies.

Change of Heart

The book that I chose is Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. One of the reasons that I picked this book was because one of my favorite books, My Sister's Keeper, is by the same author. I have also seen some of the movies that her other novels have been made into and loved them. At first I was confused as to what the storyline was going to be because the chapters are split up into different characters perspectives. But just after reading the first couple pages, I knew that I was not going to be able to put it down. The fact that it was so good that I could not put it down is another reason that I chose this novel.

SRP

A. One thing that I think I did well with on my SRP was keeping organized. Keeping my works cited updated whenever I added a source to my paper saved me a lot of time near the end. I knew where everything was saved or printed out which made it easier to work on the paper when I needed to. Something that I don't think I did very well with and I would have done over would be managing my time wisely. It wasn't as bad because I was so organized, but I definitely should not have waited even two days before each step was due to complete it. If I could do it over I would do a little bit of each step at least four days in advance to the due date.

B. For the seniors next year, I would recommend that they actually take their time to find books and sources when they take the field trip to Xavier. One of the books that I got there gave me tons of information and I don't know what I would have done without it. I would also recommend that they save all of their sources to a USB drive so that they can use them either at school or at home.

National Championship

When I was a sophomore, the cheerleaders traveled to Miami, Florida to perform at the halftime of the National Championship game. We met up with about five other cheerleading squads and dance teams to give a once in a lifetime performance. The first day that we were in Miami was one of the most exhausting days of my life. We had an eight hour practice to learn the dance with choreographer Shane Sparks and his assistant Rachel Kay. Only thirty minutes after practice ended, we had to attend a special dinner and ceremony honoring our coaches and teachers. We finally got to go to bed late that night, but were woken up way earlier than wanted for yet another practice. Charter buses took us to a nearby high school football field so that we could perfect the dance and know where to stand on the lines of the field. Finally after arriving back at the hotel we got a catered lunch and relaxed by the pool until it was time to get ready for the big game. The charter buses took us to the stadium and we immediately got off in our shiny silver dresses to head towards the field where we stood for the National Anthem. We got back on the buses to wait for halftime, and I took a much needed nap. When halftime came, I do not think I have ever been more nervous. Performing for around one-hundred fans at football and basketball games is nothing compared to performing for thousands of fans at the National Championship game. The dance went by so quickly- everything was a blur and I was off the field before I knew it. The last day that we were in Florida we participated in two different dance classes with Shane Sparks and Michael Schwatt. It was an absolutely amazing experience and I am so lucky that I got to do it.

Camp Kern

From the moment I got back from Camp Kern in sixth grade, I couldn't wait to be a senior in high school and be one of the counselors. All throughout high school I listened to seniors rant about how amazing being a counselor at Camp Kern is and how much fun they had. But to say that after I experienced it I was a little let down would be a huge understatement. Day one: The bus ride to the camp with all the sixth graders. Definitely fun, but the first glance at just how energetic these kids were going to be all week. Then lugging suitcases and sleeping bags to the cabin and having only a short period of time before the longest three days of my life. There is literally not one second of rest. From the time you wake up in the morning(when you're ACTUALLY getting up for the day, not the ten times that a sixth grader wakes you up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night), it is non-stop action. Day two: Running around hunting for fossils with kids who absolutely refuse to follow directions. Listening to the same teacher yell the exact same words to the disobedient children over and over and over again. Finding out at eleven o'clock at night that the seniors are not allowed to shower because the sixth grade girls took too long and it is "time for bed." Not that it was too much of a dissapointment considering the scalding hot(literally, you can not stand directly under it) shower water. Then having the girls in your cabin talk so much that a teacher comes and makes you sleep with the cabin door open, letting whatever bugs wish to enter come right on in. Day three: FINALLY. The home stretch. Or so you think. Yes, the beef in your breakfast burrito is exactly the same meat that they used in the hamburgers, sloppy joes, and the salsbury steak. But getting through yet another meal of picking through lettuce at the salad bar and eating all the bread you possibly can to keep yourself going has barely begun. A three hour game of playing indians and settlers is coming, and it will be never ending. When the teachers come to get you and tell you the buses are arriving soon, run for your life. Run for the candy that the kids have been eating all week and stuff your face. You need sugar. You need to lay down in the parking lot on the hot pavement and sweat until the bus arrives. When the bus does come, an hour late, it's hard not to laugh at the overly excited second batch of seniors ready to have the "time of their lives." Good luck.

Sonnet 55

Senior

Last Saturday was the basketball players and cheerleaders senior night. It did not really hit me until that night, when all the underclassmen cheerleaders were crying, that this is really it. For three years I helped plan and organize six different cheerleading senior nights, but my own senior night always seemed far away in the distance. I made shirts, candy bags, cakes, and build-a-bears. I bought tiaras, picture frames, and giftcards. Yet through all that, I could never picture myself standing on the basketball court and cheering my last home game. I never imagined doing my last band dance, holding the warrior banner for the last time, or calling my last cheer. Now that the season is over and the tournament is about to start, I am beginning to see the end of my 14 season cheerleading career. I will never forget the day in fourth grade when my teacher handed out fliers for girls who were interested in beginning a cheerleading program the next year. I will not forget practicing on the upper field, getting my first uniform, and learning my first cheers. The memories of cheering in junior high and moving up to JV and then cheering at my first varsity game will never escape my mind. The friends I have made have become my best friends and the ones that I know I can always rely on. It is weird to imagine turning in my uniform and participating in my last competition, but I know that it is coming faster than I can really comprehend.