"My brother, Chris, went to Russia for three weeks, which made me think that I wanted to go abroad, too," says Jennifer. "But I wanted to stay longer."

She says that she thought first of going to France or Italy, but that she heard great things about Sweden and changed her mind. It will be her first time in Europe.

Jennifer would be a senior in Sept-ember at KSD. Though the school system in Stockholm is not quite comparable, she will join a group of college-bound students there as well.

At the school in Sweden, which is a school for deaf students, she will learn written Swedish and Swedish sign language. Jennifer says she will take seven courses during the year, but she does not know what the others would be yet. She has finished her required courses at KSD, so she is free to take whatever interests her. She does know that she will be playing basketball on a team with her host family's daughter.

Jennifer's year in Sweden is being arranged by an organization called NorthWest Student Exchange, which is headquartered in Seattle.

"The director was very excited, because they've never worked with a deaf student or sent anyone to Sweden," she says.

Jennifer will be perhaps the only American student at her school, although she said that the school was interested in starting an exchange program. She hopes KSD will continue to help its student study abroad after she graduates.

She has no worries. "I felt apprehensive at first, but now I feel very comfortable going there. I'm looking at it as a challenge. I'm very excited."

Jennifer adds, "I think I will make a very good representative for KSD, the deaf community, the Danville community, and even for all of Kentucky. I'm hoping the community will make donations toward my trip. I've had some, but I haven't reached my goal. Anything would help."

Donations maybe sent to the Jennifer Harris Student Exchange Fund at National City Bank.

By Rachel Tapley