Land of Champions
A champion is made on a daily basis. You can be a dancer, a writer, a web designer, or a candle maker and be a champion. The key is your effort. When you try your hardest in school, sports, arts, and relationships, when you give it your all and don’t complain, you’re a champion.

Harker Girls

At Harker School in San Jose, CA, the editors for the Yearbook do not take off the entire summer. The girls have an August meeting to discuss plans and tasks to make their Yearbook creative and fun. We celebrate their commitment, positive energy, and desire to work as a group! Way to go, girls!

Harker School Yearbook editors–Janise, Emily, Stephanie, Deniz, Heidi pause for a picture before their meeting

Kelsey

Kelsey was recently recognized at her karate studio for being featured on the Girls Are Champions pilot TV show.

Currently airing on Peninsula TV in San Mateo County, CA. And in July and August, the show will be airing on Media Access, out of Palo Alto, CA.

Way to go, Kelsey!

See, all that work paid off! I earned my yellow belt!	Kelsey puts the moves on her instructor	Crew member at Pen TV puts a mic on Kelsey for the TV show

Marielle

Marielle (age 11) and team

"SAFE!"

I play softball. I have played for 4 years. I play for 2 teams: a tournament team and a league team. When I play, it's like a dream. Unbelievable! Even though we practice 5-6 days a week, it's always a new experience. Every other weekend I have a tournament, and on the weekends I don't have a tournament I have a league game.

The positions I play are catcher,1st, 3rd, and left field. My mom and grandma support me no matter what position I play and I love that. My grandma is always taking me to practices and games, even if she has plans. I'm so lucky.

Usually, I hit 4th in the batting line up and that's a good spot for me. Once I had 3 balls and 0 strikes. Naomi, my teammate, gives me the sign to swing no matter what kind of pitch it is. She wants me to be aggressive.

One day, the pitcher started her wind up, I lifted the bat off my shoulder, the ball came at me to the left outside corner. I swung the bat the best I could. It flew across my body and "Crack!" I ripped the ball to center field.

I ran--1st, 2nd, then slid into 3rd.

"Safe!" yelled the ump.

All of my team cheered loudly and I could tell they were proud.

Sarah

	Sarah, ready for competition

Gymnastics has always been an important part of my life, but I was never the girl who easily won every meet. One of my biggest accomplishments was finally standing on the podium as the first place winner. Surprisingly, the meet I won was the regional meet that served as a qualifier for the state competition. 

Natalie

Natalie with her up-and-coming lacrosse team

Most these pictures are from the lacrosse season that just ended for me. Our lacrosse team is in its second season, and all players on the team just started playing last year, so we are a very new team taking baby steps.

However, we improved our record this year a lot by working hard and practicing everyday, and it definitely paid off. I am #15.
 

Allie

Allie on the mound	Sliding into home!

This is it: the semifinals of the tournament, and the present highlight of my existence. We’re playing NOVA, one of the best teams in the area. As I step on to the pitching rubber, I think about the hours and hours that I’ve spent pitching throughout the summer. I would throw with my dad almost every day in our front yard in preparation for tournaments like these.

I guess all the hard work paid off because I threw one of the best games of my life that day. I threw a perfect game. Not a single batter reached first with a walk, hit, or error. We won two to zero and ended up placing second in the tournament. I will never forget that day or how hard I worked in preparation for that game.

Taryn

	Taryn takes two modes of transportation

From Lisa: Taryn's a soccer player, but she's way more than that. Where some kids stick to one sport only, others explore many activities. Hey, it's all good! Taryn rides horses, snow mobiles, goes boogie boarding, and performs in the theater. She loves to do things with her friends and soccer teammates, but her family is very important to her, too. Way to go, Taryn!

Taryn boogies and sings

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Now, show us the champion inside of you! Come on—we want to see her. And we want other girls to know that this is a time to celebrate positive thinking, creating your own destiny! Send us a picture of yourself. Tell us what inspires you and what kinds of things you like to do. We can’t wait to see! Drop us a line and we'll tell you how to send your pictures and story!