5th Grade Detroit student who speaks Japanese is chosen for Young Leaders Conference in DC

WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) - "Konnichiwa" The greeting comes out of Dallas Griffin's mouth just as easily as "Goodbye."

That, plus a 4.0 grade average is enough to send the 11-year-old Detroit Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies student on a trip to Washington DC.

The 5th grader was smiling from ear to ear when he and his family met with us at Samurai Steak House in West Bloomfield.

"I am going to the 2012 Junior National Young Leaders Conference to learn more about being a leader," he says.

The conference is designed to educate, inspire and motivate middle school students by giving them confidence and leadership skills that will take them through high school and beyond.

"His father and I are just really proud of him, really really happy I'm glad he is doing well" said Dallas's mother Deitra Griffin.

The conference goes from July 22-27.

Dallas says he is eager to get there. "I can't wait, I have never been to that state before," he says.