Odds Are On River Dell During the Hunger Games

As the authoritarian government of Panem sends Katniss Evergreen and Peeta Mellark into the Hunger Games to represent District 12, eighth graders will be cheering on the pair as the film adaption takes to the big screen at AMC Garden State Mall theatre.

"The book was required reading as a whole class novel," English teacher Susan Keitel said. "Everyone loved this book and we are counting down the hours until the movie!"

Prior to heading to the theatre, all of the 285 students in the eighth grade English classes decorated their own t-shirts to show off their loyalty for Katniss, Peeta and the rest of the tributes from Distrcit 1 through 11.

The "Hunger Games" film is based on the bestselling book by American author Suzanne Collins. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl who resides in District 12 of Panem, a new totalitarian state created after a widespread rebellion destroyed the America we all know and love.

Every year, one boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts are chosen via a lottery to be among the 24 contestants to enter an arena for a battle to the death: The Hunger Games.

What's worse is that they fight for their very survival as a national audience watches it all on TV.