Many dream of attending high school prom but it's not always a reality. Whether it's because they attend an online high school, like James Madison High School, or because of other circumstances, for some high school prom remains a dream. For one Tennessee teenager, going to prom became a life goal when she found out her cancer was terminal. Her school decided to make this wish become a reality and threw Katie Norman her very own prom.

"Katie In The Sky With Diamonds" was all set to happen, but on the way there Katie had trouble breathing and was sent back to the hospital. She encouraged her fellow students to continue with the dance even though she wouldn't be there. Not wanting her to miss out on her special night, the students moved the prom to Katie's hospital room where they danced and presented their prom queen with a corsage and sash.

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Choosing to enroll in online high school is a difficult decision that requires a lot of thought. Deciding whether the self-paced structure is right for you, opting to study in an area that isn’t a classroom, and electing to be independent with your schoolwork are all options that you had to take into account before signing up for James Madison High School.

But for many students, deciding what to do after earning their high school diploma is yet another difficult decision that requires a lot of thought as well.  For some, entering the working world and jumping in to their career of choice is preferable whereas others opt to go to college.  By now, you have more than likely weighed the pros and cons of both options, but have you considered which type of college you’d like to attend?

By now, you’re accustomed to the pace of online schooling, but choosing to continue your education online is another decision you’ll have to make.  On the one hand, you already know how to balance your studying when it fits into your schedule.  You also are used to attending class in your home rather than on a campus. 

That being said, your reasons for attending high school online may have stayed behind in high school. For some, the bullying, illness, or frequent moving led them to choose attending high school online.  You may miss the interaction of a brick and mortar classroom or being able to talk to your teachers in person.  Whatever the case, there are pros and cons to both. 

Online Pros and Cons

• Study at your own pace
• Work where you feel comfortable
• You’re accustomed to the pace of online school

                              BUT

• Don’t see fellow students face to face
• No college football team

Brick-and-Mortar Pros and Cons

• Face to face interaction with peers
• Meet with professors in person
• Embrace campus life

                             BUT

• Take time out of your day to travel to campus
• More expensive than online college

Choosing which type of college to go to after you’ve completed your online high school courses are right for you.  Much like the process you went through when choosing James Madison High School, by weighing the pros and cons and thinking through all of your choices you can discover what option fits you best. 

For 13-year-old Talia Castellano, losing her hair due to cancer didn't make her feel ugly.  In fact, she had a bravery that most adult cancer victms have; she can go outside without her wig.  For the last six years, the teenager - who is battling two kinds of cancer - has been fascinated with makeup.  She has learned so many tricks with using makeup that she began putting out tutorials on youtube.  Her videos have gone viral and it's this popularity that led her to meet one of her favorite celebrities: Ellen DeGeneres.

Ellen, who is a spokeswoman for Cover Girl herself, interviewed Talia on her show and then presented her with her own Cover Girl portrait.  She also recieved a makeup table from the brand and $20,000. 

So what keeps this young girl happy?  “I’ve always been a really bubbly girl, and my mom always tells me to think about the positive,” she said. “Even though cancer is a negative, horrible thing, there are positives. For people to see that there are kids that get cancer … it’s just a true fact. Me putting a face on it makes a difference.”

As an online high school student, what do you think of this story?

Martin Martinez and three friends were driving in the car on their way to their high school graduation ceremony when the unthinkable happened.  They turned on to a one way street after exiting the highway and a car hit them from the side causing their car to spin out.  The ambulance arrived, parents were called, and everyone in the car, including Martin, were told they needed to go to the hospital for evaluation.  "I had a couple cuts on my hands. I had a slight cut on my forehead; my ear was sliced and the back of my head," described Martin. "Either I went to the hospital or I went to my graduation, and I wasn't going to let an accident stop me from going to my graduation."

Martin knew the graduation ceremony had already started and he also knew that members of his family had flown in to see him walk across that stage.  He made a decision to skip going to the hospital and run, a mile and a half, to the school.  Not an easy feat when you consider he was still bleeding from his wreck.  When he got there, Martin didn't forget his friends.  He had the principal read off his friends names right after his so he could get all of their diplomas for them.

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As I've gone through my life I've become acustome to using the quote "The only friend you have is yourself.".  Although I've come to believe that there are such a things as true friends you just have to find them. This can be a very tedious task to some to others true friends are all around. I myself never had many true friends. In this society they are hard to find. Most people aren't genuine. They care more about their needs and social statuses than they actually care about you as a person.

    A lot of people consider your appearance and how many friends you have before befriending you. For example in public school I dressed weird and had no friends from the start I only gained one friend. Although I only had one friend. She was a true friend, and was always there for me. I'd rather have one true friend than a dozen artificial ones. So are friends people you can't always trust. Depends, if its a artificial friend then not always. If you have yourself a true friend they should be trust worthy. Be careful anyway, sometimes true friends have good intentions yet do the wrong thing. Which hurts you in the end. Sometimes you can get over it other times its so bad it haunts you from time to time. Like between my friend and I. Sometimes you can rebuild your friendship if you have the heart to forgive your friend. Never let go of a true friend if it unnecessary; true friends are very hard to come by and should be cherished.

     Another way to know that someone's a true friend (learned from my brother) is if you grow up and go your separate ways and still stay in touch though the years. As oppose to forgetting about eachother completely in daily life. A true friend can be inspiring, give you adice, or just listen to you and share common interest. I have a friend in Cali (I live in Texas) That I talk to often she's always there fore me and would do anything for me. She is one of my best friends even though we are so far away.

    Being a true friend to someone isn't hard( if you have a good heart). I am one of those friends that will do anything for you, hold you when you cry, give space when needed, love you no matter what, defend you, and cheer you on in life. This all may be a bit to much but that's the way I am, I'm not changing. I don't think all of these things are required to make a true friend. Although I've had a friend quite like this and it is quite nice. Yet very hard to find.

The point is while you can't always be certain, true friends are the most trust worthy and there are signs to be able to tell if one is a true friend.

We've often heard the argument that young girls and teenagers are becoming "too sexy too soon" and Halloween is a perfect example of why some people think this is.  Although little girls once used to be princesses and pumpkins, now the costume options are french maids and Wonder Woman.  Costumes for girls, sometimes advertised for girls as young as five, now have midriffs, miniskirts, and corsets. 

It's not just costumes for girls that are under attack.  Boys costumes are being deemed "too scary".  No longer content with being ghosts and Mario, boys of all ages are now getting to choose from costumes like Jason (from Halloween) and Freddie Krueger.  Many of these costumes come equipped with weapons, fake blood, and gory accessories.

Some people say these costumes are too much too fast and are harming these young kids and teens.  Others say it's Halloween and these kids are merely dressing up and having fun. 

What do you think?

In some high schools, teens who are different aren't bullied for what sets them apart, rather they're honored.  Mariah Slick is just like any other senior at Azle High School in Texas except that she was born with down syndrome.  Many times when you hear about a high schooler with physical and mental disabilities it is in context that their nomination is a joke.  This was not the case with Mariah.  She has been described by her peers as "a real sweetheart" and "well liked by everybody", just the behavior for a homecoming queen.

Although she had the personality, Mariah and her family didn't expect her victory.  "I never dreamed she would be nominated homecoming queen, especially since she has special needs. For the kids in the school to love Mariah and nominate her, I feel so blessed and so honored," said Mariah's mom. 

Mariah did win the title of 2011 homecoming queen beating out three other girls. 

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In Japan, a class of 12-year-olds put messages in bottles and tossed them into the ocean.  The messages contained memories of their school year and notes about who the students themselves were.  One such bottle washed ashore in Hawaii this week, six years after the students wrote it.  The goal of the message-in-a-bottle assignment was to have the recipient of the note write back so the little girl who wrote the message had her contact information on it.  Navy Petty Officer Jon Moore, who discovered the bottle, wrote back to Saki Arikawa, now 17.

The bottle prompted those in Arikawa's old class to have a reunion.  "Thanks to the bottle, some of us could get together and had a great time," she said. "Now I'd like to meet the person who kindly saved my bottle.

Would you send a message in a bottle?