Why is it important to honor one’s heritage and culture, particularly as an immigrant in the United States? How does Christina’s heritage help her through a difficult time in her life, and why does it matter to her?

How does racism and stereotyping affect Christina’s experience in the first months of school? What attitude shift does Christina have that allows her to rise above this form of bullying?

What does Christina learn from her time in the cheerleading tryouts, and how does she carry these lessons forward with her into the next phase of her life?