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Photograph by George Sakkestad
Saratoga 12-year-old Jocelyn Takahashi's summer vacation will be a special trip this year--a 10-day safari in South Africa. Jocelyn was selected for the trip after winning a 'National Geographic' essay contest.
Nothing typical about Jocelyn's summer vacation
By Michele Tjin
Jocelyn Takahashi's vacations are not a walk in the park. Rather, they are 50-mile hikes through the wilderness.
"I like physical challenges, like backpacking," said Jocelyn, 12. "My family does it every year."
Jocelyn tapped into her sense of adventure and exploration when she entered a National Geographic photo and essay contest on a whim. She sailed through a phone interview, and much to her surprise she was named one of the 15 winners, out of more than 4,000 entries, selected to go on a 10-day safari in South Africa this August.
"I was really happy when I found out I won," said the Redwood Middle School seventh-grader. "It still feels weird to say I'm going to South Africa."
For the contest, Jocelyn wrote an essay about what made her a hands-on explorer, and she didn't have to look far for inspiration. Each year, she, her parents and younger sister go on a backpacking trip, each time increasing the distance they cover and the number of days they are roughing it. The family may have to do without hot showers and endure hiking in heat or hail, but the benefits outweigh any inconveniences, Jocelyn said.
"You wake up and there's fog over the lake. It's really pretty," she said. "You can see the fish feeding."
On her trip to South Africa, Jocelyn will visit Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, home to 300 bird species and 200 animal species, and Grootbos Nature Reserve, where a great white shark and 650 indigenous types of plants live. She will also visit a school to see how South African children learn.
"I want to learn the differences [between here and South Africa]," Jocelyn said. "I want to learn about the people, the language, the food and the music."
She will be accompanied by TV personalities, including the host of Wild Chronicles Boyd Matson, local guides, ecologists and photographers who work for National Geographic. As part of her prize, she will also receive a digital camera and tips on how to make her discoveries last a lifetime.
"I'm most excited to meet the photojournalists," Jocelyn said. "I want to know what they like about their job. I might want to try it out as a career."
In addition to her win, Jocelyn gets to bring along an adult with her. Her parents settled the question as to who gets to tag along with a game of Rocks, Papers, Scissors, the time-tested method of resolving all sorts of difficult issues. Mom Linda was the winner, and she, too, was excited by her new summer plans.
"I'm looking forward to meeting the people at National Geographic that I would never have a chance to meet and talk to otherwise," she said.
The idea to enter the contest came from Jocelyn's science teacher, Susan Germeraad, who issues challenges throughout the year to make students aware of science applications in the real world.
"I don't give extra credit, but challenge points are extracurricular activities for the kids who enjoy science and want to do something related to science," Germeraad said. "I tell them to do it for the glory."
Germeraad was pleasantly surprised when Jocelyn told her she would be traveling halfway around the world in August. Jocelyn was reserved about it but still smiling, she said.
"It says a lot of her motivation that she'll take the time to do it," she said. "It was a long shot, but I encourage all of our kids to do it, whether it's a science project or American Idol. You put yourself out there."
Jocelyn's adventures aren't confined to backpacking. She has also biked from Saratoga to Palo Alto and back to visit friends. The outdoors plays a big part in her family's life. Jocelyn's next backpacking experience was supposed to be a month-long trip with her family and cover 200 miles, but South Africa changed her plans.
"I want to see the wildlife and the plants," she said. "I'm so excited."
