Tessa Weiss is a very active fourteen year old, who enjoys giving back to her community, studying Japanese culture and language, playing piano, modeling, and is always up for trying new things. Tessa learned at an early age that life is full of challenges. A victim of bullying by both a peer, and a person in position of authority, she has dedicated her life to helping others. Through her involvement with both the Crown CARES, and AMRAK, Tessa has made it her life’s work to reach out to victims of bullying. Teaching them that there is life beyond the pain. She is also involved with the Sunshine Foundation, which provides dream vacations for terminally ill and abused children. Tessa has made it her goal to raise $5000 this year so she can provide a dream come true for one of these children, and their families. A proud recipient of the Presidential Gold Medal for Volunteering for the past three years, it is her dream to touch the lives of others in a positive way. When she is not volunteering,Tess spends her time taking classes with FLVS, hanging out with family and friends, and snuggling with her bird, Fiji. Her hope is to one day attend Northwestern University, which hosts the top journalism school in the country. She aspires to be a broadcast journalist, and plans to live, and work in Japan.