Saratoga girl wins National Geographic photo contest

SARATOGA, Calif. (KTVU and wires) -- A Saratoga girl has won the grand prize in a National Geographic Society international photography contest for kids for her close-up shot of a gecko, officials announced this week. 

Grace Chung, 13, has won a five-day, four-night trip to Washington, D.C., a tour of National Geographic headquarters, and a National Geographic Costa Rica Family Adventure. 

Every national edition of National Geographic held its own contest and then submitted its first-place images in four categories for the international photo contest. 

Chung's photo of a gecko licking its own eyeball also took first place in the United States competition, as well as first place in the category "Amazing Animals." 

The other categories were "Dare to Explore," "Weird but True," and "Wild Vacation." 

A total of 16,752 photos were submitted to the competition from countries around the world.