The 8,000 essays submitted to our contest helped demonstrate that real girls across the country are working to be their best on the field, on stage, and in everyday life.

American Girl applauds these girls for their commitment, leadership, and spirit—and for showing the same award-winning attitude as our 2008 Girl of the Year, Mia.

Read on for more exciting stories from our Award Finalists and Honorable Mention Award Winners. They're sure to bring a smile to your face and encouragement for your passion in life.

Five ideas to help girls shine:

• Make practice a routine—add it to your regular schedule
• Challenge yourself—master a skill, then try a new one
• Teach a skill to learn it—you’ll become even better at it
• Relax so that you can focus—let your body take over
• Learn from mistakes—practice a challenging skill until it’s easy