Douglas and Paulding teens will make cross-country, cross-continent and intercontinental trips this summer as they pursue their dreams.

Anika Carter, 15, of Douglasville, won a trip to the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America through the Frank Ski Kids Foundation.

The New Manchester High School sophomore entered the essay contest the night before the deadline and won the essay contest, along with 10 other metro Atlanta teens, according to her mother, Athea Carter.

The students will take classes to prepare for the weeklong trip in July, where they will travel to the different islands, studying each island’s ecosystem.

Carter, who wants to be a surgeon or therapist, said she is most excited about seeing all the unique animals on the islands.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said.

Paulding County 16-year-old Erin Robinson will study ballet in Moscow, Russia, at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy for six weeks this summer.

The teen is a member of the Georgia Ballet’s student ensemble in Marietta, with which she dances six days a week.

Robinson is one of 15 American dancers selected for the program.

Dancers from Australia, Greece, Israel, Italy, China, Japan, Panama, Spain, Switzerland, Brazil, Kazakhstan and France also will participate in the Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive, according to a press release.

“I’m excited to experience a completely different language and culture,” said Robinson. “We will live with a host family, so I’ll really get the feel of the culture.”

Robinson has been dancing for 13 years and hopes to dance professionally after high school.

Another Paulding teen, Isabella Davis, was awarded a scholarship to attend Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., this summer.

Davis, 13, is a student at Scoggins Middle School. She was one of only 69 students nationwide to be awarded a full scholarship to the program.

Davis had to submit an application with a detailed description of a science experiment, an essay, a mission patch design and three letters of recommendation to be considered for the program, according to a press release.

Only 20 percent of those who applied received a full scholarship.

Davis will attend the camp for six days at the end of this month.

“I just really like science, so I figured it would be a great opportunity,” said Davis.

Davis said she did not want to be an astronaut, but an engineer.

She said she was most excited about going into the robotics track — series of courses — at the camp.