Q: How's training going this summer?
A: Training is going really well this summer! I am working hard on my routines and some new skills. I'm training twice a day - morning and late afternoon.

Q: Are you hoping to try any new skills/routines at U.S. Classic and/or Visa Championships?
A: I put a new release move in my bar routine since last championships. I also am working a double twisting double back on floor. My goal is to compete it in my floor routine at the Visa Championships. We'll see how it is goes.

Q: Which event are you most confident with and why?
A: The events I'm most confident with right now are vault and beam. I competed my Yurchenko double full last year, so I feel pretty comfortable with vault. I hope to have an upgrade on my vault for next year. All the skills in my beam routine I have competed before, and I have been doing beam routines for a long time so I feel good about competing beam.

Q: How did the July 4 training camp go for you?
A: The July camp went really well for me. I had a successful verification, and I also learned where I needed to improve. I was very happy with the camp and I'm excited to compete at the U.S. Classic in just a couple weeks.

Q: What are your gymnastics' goals for 2006?
A: My short-term goals for 2006 are hitting clean and solid routines at the U.S. Classic and Visa Championships. Also, I hope to place high at Visa Championships to make the Junior Pan American Games Team which will leave directly following Championships.

Q: What have you done this summer, outside of gymnastics training?
A: Outside of gymnastics I hang out with my friends and go shopping. I have a fetish for purses and shoes! I love them and have a ton.

My family owns a speed boat, so most every weekend we go boating on the lake near our house. I like to go tubing, water skiing and swimming.

I also took a high school class this summer to get a credit out of the way and I'm volunteering my time to coach at Jireh Sports, a gymnastics urban sports ministry for youth in Indianapolis. I will earn community service hours which I will need for my freshman year in high school.

Q: If we looked in your gym bag as you entered the gym for a competition what would we find in your bag?
A: If you looked in my gym bag before a meet, you would probably find my grip bag, my music, wrist guards, a purse, which has my cell phone, Ipod and lip gloss in it. I usually pack a T-shirt or a change of clothes for after the meet. I also have a water bottle and a snack and a good luck charm.

Q: Do you bring any good luck charms to competitions?
A: Actually I do. I bring a little red silk bag that has a couple charms in it. They were given to me for good luck by family and friends.

Q: What school and grade do you plan to enter in the fall?
A: I will be a freshman at Cathedral High School in August. I'm very excited to start my freshman year at a new school.

Q: Do you have an IPOD? If so, what music would we find on it?
A: I do have an ipod. I have a range of different types of music, all the way from Rascal Flatts to Young Joc. I am more of a hip hop and R&B person, but I also have moments when I have to listen to OAR. I don't know what I would do if I didn't listen to my ipod before meets. It helps get my pumped up and calm at the same time. I actually have a play list titled " Pump up" on my ipod.

Q: Do you have a cell phone? If so, how many text messages do you send/receive each day?
A: I do have a cell phone. I actually just got text messaging on my phone plan. It is probably up on the list for the world's best inventions according to me. I love using it and I'm hoping I won't go over my texts on my new plan.

Q: What's your favorite website?
A: My favorite website is probably Myspace! I have gotten hooked on that, but I also like Youtube and facebook. Although I don't spend that much time on the computer, those would be the sites I go to if I'm bored. I like getting new music on iTunes and I like getting on AIM.

Q: If you could pick any person in the world to hang out with for an evening who would it be and what would you do?
A: I would probably want to meet Kristin Cavallari or Christina Millian and go shopping for the whole day! If I was going to meet a guy it would most definitely be Nick Lachey or Brad Pitt!

Q: What's your favorite TV show? What's the last good movie you saw?
A: My favorite channel is MTV, so anything on that. I also like to watch CSI, America's next Top Model, or I really get into the O.C. I love movies, so I see lots of good ones, but my favorites are Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Mean Girls, and Man of the House. I also like scary movies!

Q: What's something that most people don't know about you?
A: My dad is a hockey coach for my high school, and played hockey through his college career at the University of Illinois. My mom did gymnastics through college at the University of Illinois, and now works at USA Gymnastics. My little sister is a Level 9 gymnast.

Also, my coach Peter Zhao is from Tian Jin, China, which is near Beijing, where the 2008 Olympic Games will be held.

Q: What advice would you give young girls who are striving to be an elite gymnast like you some day?
A: You should always work hard and give 110% all the time. Whenever you have a hard day, just focus on what your goals are and why you are doing it, and understand that all hard work pays off in the end.