@ghostotter - How exciting for you to be considering boarding schools! You have definitely come to the right place for info and support.
Do you have any current teachers you click with? You will need letters of recommendation- English and math in particular. As you are coming from a public school in an area that doesn’t have a big boarding culture, teachers might need some educating on what you are doing and why before they can write their recs. Now would be a good time to run the idea by them and see their response.
Cheer isn’t a thing in most boarding schools. Volleyball is, but not at all schools. So cheer would be helpful in an app insofar as it shows athletic ability generally and commitment to an activity. Volleyball would be a quick way to narrow options if it is important to your high school experience.
You have some time, but not a lot, to get your school list together. Come back here with a top ten list, and why you like them, and you can get some feedback. You have had some great advice so far.
When looking at schools, think about specifics for what you hope a boarding school can give you that you can’t get at home (beyond strong academics - all of these schools have that). What do you love about school? What do you love about your family, your community? What stresses you out? What feeds your soul? What do you need to get away from? There are no wrong answers, but asking yourself these big questions will help you narrow the list of schools. Big questions are, in my opinion, how much do you want adults to be involved in your life - do you you want independence or more of an extended family feel? Do you want to get away from campus or do you want a self-contained community? Do you want a school that is super sporty or artsy?
One option a lot of people take is to do 9th grade at home then repeat it at boarding school. Not suggesting that’s what you should do, but just know that it is a legit option if you are feeling time pressure.
Go you! ??