The Fox-Fernandez Family were the winners of this year’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Forest Service poster competition. They produced a creative poster that captured this year’s theme and included the whole family in the process. Liz Berger, National Chair of the Asian Pacific American Employee Association (APAEA) together with the FS WO Civil Rights office announced them as the winner and coordinated with the family for the prize which included an executive mentoring session.
Ethan, who together with his family developed the winning poster, requested a “mentoring” session for his best friend and himself with Woodsy Owl.
Woodsy eagerly greeted the 3rd graders with hugs at the WO US Forest Service Information and Visitor Center in the Yates Building. Ethan and his family were recognized for their accomplishments and Tamberly Conway, Partnerships Diversity Inclusion Specialist of Conservation Education, showed off their winning poster and did an excellent job explaining Woodsy Owl’s mission and mottos. We all know the classic “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute!,” but there are two newer mottos that were shared: “Care for the Land, Lend a Hand!” and “Open Your Eyes, Be Climate Wise!” To keep up to date on Woodsy Owl like his page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodsyowl
The Third Graders showed off their conservation knowledge 
discussing composting, recycling and turning off the lights which are some of the many ways they have learned to care for the environment from their families and at school. Everyone was especially impressed when they knew all about Woodsy Owl’s Four R’s
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
&
Rot (composting)
This year’s poster competition was a huge success, we are looking forward to next year’s submissions and encourage the engagement of youth in APA Heritage Month activities as well as the Forest Service Conservation messages and activities.
APAEA NEWS 