1. Amanda’s Big Day for Grades 6 - 12

2. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved This is Amanda. She’s a little freaked out right now because tomorrow is a mega big day for her. She is trying out for the cheerleading squad at her school.

3. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved When her dad asks her at dinner time if she is nervous, she tells him the truth and says, “For, sure. There is a lot of tough competition and there will be a test.” Her dad asks her if she is prepared.

4. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Amanda tells her dad that she has been frying her brain studying the cheerleading book every day for the past two weeks. And she even organized the study questions from the book onto index cards so she can study at lunch.

5. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Amanda and her dad have always been close. He’s called her “the apple of my eye” since she was a baby. She rolls her eyes but really loves it. She can tell her dad anything.

6. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Amanda confides in her dad that another kid at school said she had a copy of the cheerleading test from last year and asked Amanda if she wanted it. Amanda said no, that would be cheating. Her dad says he is proud of her.

7. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Amanda is used to studying hard. She knows that there is no free ride to the important things in life. She does her homework without whining and is prepared for class. Her college goal is UF. As they say - the University of Florida is in Gainesville, but Gator Nation is – everywhere.

8. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Amanda says that in addition to studying her tail off, she has also been exercising and practicing the cheer routines. She says that she even got her lazy boned boyfriend, Reggie, to jog with her once or twice. Her dad says call 911 because he’s going to have a heart attack!

9. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Amanda says that she’s serious about this cheerleading goal and has been tracking her progress. She tells her dad that she has even been laying off the junk food and eating right! Her dad pretends to faint.

10. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Amanda tells her dad that something else is worrying her. She’s heard that some of the other girls trying out for the squad are back stabbing, drama grabbing, boyfriend nabbing, gossip blabbing types. Her dad reminds her that the only person she can control is herself and encourages her not to become a bottom feeder.

11. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved On the way to school the next day, Amanda finds a cell phone on the ground. She can tell from the photos that it belongs to Tisha, one of the biggest backstabbers trying out for the squad. She’s tempted to step on it, but gives it to Tisha because it’s the right thing to do.

12. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Tisha is surprised at Amanda’s honesty, thanks her, and gives her a snarky smile. Even though Tisha is a pain, Amanda is proud she did the right thing.

13. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Jake, the new guy at school, saw Amanda return the phone to Tisha and said that Amanda showed integrity. He said that he admired that quality in a lady, and smiled.

14. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Amanda is ready for the cheerleading test and routines that she must do. She knows that whether she makes the cheerleading squad or not… She made the right choices to do her best.

15. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved What about you?

16. © 2008 Clarion Council All rights reserved Pssst… Amanda made the squad! And Tisha didn’t!