-- Valdosta, Ga. -- May 23, 2012 --

On July second, 14-year old Crista Wells will travel about twenty hours to Korea. That's her prize for winning a national Korean essay writing contest.

Her school, Highland Christian Academy, participated along with 75 other schools across the country. Students were asked to write about how Korean language will benefit them in the future. Compared with her friends, Wells is gearing up for quite a different summer vacation.

She says "well while my friends are probably in the pool, or the mall, or sleeping, I'll be doing Tae Kwan Doe."

The program was sponsored by the Korean Education Center in Los Angeles as well as the Korean Consulate.

Highland Christian Academy's principle, Jackie Noble, said "our mission statement says that we're training up students to not only engage their local communities, but to engage the world. And so that was the mission statement that the Korean Consulate had also."

Although friends and family are excited about Wells' opportunity, not everyone is ready to see her go.

Her mom, Connie Wells, said "yes we'll be a little nervous and we'll keep in contact with her. But I also feel like the cream of the crop got chosen and I'm very excited that she was given this opportunity to be a part of that."

35 other students from around the country also won a trip to Korea from the essay contest.