West Seattle resident and Seattle Lutheran High School student Sofia Wagner, 15, is not exactly sure how long her hair is, "But it's more than 2 feet long," she said with confidence.

Wagner will attend South Seattle Community College's Running Start program to take college level courses. Before she takes on college, in high school she will join five other area teens and attend the 2009 National Youth Gathering for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in New Orleans July 22 through 26.

When Wagner returns some of her friends may not recognize her. That's because she will donate her locks to an organization that provides hairpieces to children with cancer.

"The last time I seriously cut my hair was in third grade," she recalled. "But I’ve had it trimmed since then."

According to the ELCA Web site, 37,000 will attend the gathering, called "Jesus Justice Jazz."

The site states that "planning teams are working with local congregations and organizations, young people and the city to pay attention to what makes the city of New Orleans unique, as well as better understanding the changes it is going through as the entire Gulf Coast region continues to recover after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The focus will be on service and justice as we live our shared reality as Christians."