HI! MY NAME IS JESSICA UHLENKOTT, AND I AM AN 8TH GRADE STUDENT AT STEVENS MIDDLE SCHOOL. I AM ALMOST 14 YEARS OLD AND HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO REPESENT MY SCHOOL AND CITY IN MAY ON A TRIP TO MUTSU CITY, JAPAN. I AM THRILLED ABOUT GOING TO SEE A NEW COUNTRY AND MAKING FRIENDS. I WAS BORN IN PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON; AND HAVE LIVED HERE MOST OF MY LIFE. I LIVE WITH MY DAD, CULLEN, AND MY LITTLE BROTHER, GARRETT, WHO IS ALMOST 11. WE OWN A DOG NAMED TESSA, AND A CAT NAMED HOOVER. MY HOBBIES ARE MOVIES, SHOPPING, FRIENDS, FAMILY, PAINTING, DRAWING, COMPUTERS, AND OF COURSE JAPANESE CLUB. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT GOING TO JAPAN THAT I CAN HARDLY SLEEP. I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT GOING BECAUSE I KNOW IT WILL BE THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME.