Nellie Kassebaum, 12, of Burdick, has won the fieldtrip-of-a-lifetime, with National Geographic experts as her guides, as a winner of the National Geographic Kids Hands-On Explorer Challenge.

As a member of the fourth annual Kids Expedition team, Nellie will join 14 other children and two teachers from throughout the U.S. on assignment to Peru for a 12-day expedition, May 23-June 3.

Each youngster is asked to bring along a parent or guardian, and Nellie’s father, Bill Kassebaum, will accompany her. All expenses will be paid and all travel will be arranged for them.

Each participant will receive a digital camera and appropriate clothing for the diverse outdoor activities and climates he or she will be facing, including sun-protective shirts, pants, and hats.

To be considered for the team, youngsters ages 10-14 were asked to submit essays of 300 words or less and photographs they took that told how they actively explored their world and the most exciting and/or inspiring things they have found in it.

“I found this grasshopper and crouched down to get a shot or two,” Nellie wrote in her winning essay. “It let me stay there for at least five minutes, and the longer I stayed, the more vivid the detail in its face became … My little lime green friend that I met that day imprinted on my mind and made me really think about the treasures in nature and how they are everywhere in all shapes and sizes.”

In Peru, she will explore ancient ruins and travel deep into the Peruvian rain forest. She also will tour colonial architecture and view ancient and modern civilizations in the capital city of Lima.

National Geographic sponsors the annual Kids Hands-On Explorer Challenge to inspire youngsters to a lifetime of exploration and discovery.