"2008 World Water Day Int’l. Poster Making Tilt"
Sun.Star Davao, May 3, 2008

Last week, I received this wonderful news from Sammy Juntilla, the father of 10-year old Dave Laurence whom I featured recently in the “1st Ateneo Kiddie Art Exhibit”.

Here is an excerpt of Sammy’s e-mail:

“Good Day! I have read your article about the Kiddie Art Exhibit in Ateneo de Davao Grade School on April 12. Well, thanks to the latest technologies of today, even if I’m in Qatar, I was able to read your article through Sun.Star online.

I’m writing to you because my son, Dave Laurence, participated in the 2008 World Water Day International Poster Making Contest.

This was organized by a non-profit organization called Nature’s Voice Our Choice (NVOC) based in the United States. NVOC focuses on the preservation, conservation and restoration of water resources.

Dave happened to be one of the 2 winners in his age category. Out of 800 students, 13 winners were selected. Two of them are from the Philippines.

According to the organizers, Dave’s poster is an extraordinary representation of what water means in our lives.

Aside from Dave, the other Filipino winner is 10-year old Veronica Gayle Tiu Tangcueco from Binondo, Manila”.

In a press statement sent by NVOC, it bared that winning posters were selected by a panel of four judges specializing in children’s environmental education, anthropology, and international development. The entries were judged on visual message, impact, and creativity.

The chosen posters, which were on display at the Earth Day Festival last April 20, 2008 at the National Mall in Washington DC, USA, will be used in a worldwide water conservation campaign.

All funds generated from this campaign will be used to develop water preservation, conservation and restoration projects in each of the winners’ communities.

“The level of creativity, passion, and energy that students brought to this competition was incredible,” shares NVOC director Brandy Lellou.

“They exceeded our expectations. After we began to see the impact these posters could have on increasing public awareness of water issues, we added a unique ‘action phase’ to the project”, Lellou adds.

Lellou said that the ‘action phase’ is designed to empower students by giving them the opportunity to apply their ideas to the development of concrete solutions to the water resource problems facing their communities.

NVOC acknowledges that “every community in the world suffers from water resource related issues; and today’s students hold the solutions. By fostering their interest, encouraging creative thinking, and empowering them to act; students can achieve tangible results and become agents of change in their communities”.

NVOC will work closely with each of the winning students to create a committee of the students’ peers and mentors that will identify a water resource related problem within the community.

With technical and financial support from NVOC, they will develop and implement a sustainable solution.

“We would like to thank all the students who put such creative energy into expressing what water means in their lives. We believe that these posters will make an impact on their viewers and inspire them become more proactive in the preservation and conservation of their community’s water resources”, concludes Lellou.

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And, here’s more good news from Dave’s mom, Dinky!

Dave was also one of the Commendation Prize Winners of the recently concluded 17th International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment with the theme “Climate Change: Actions You Can Take Now”.

In its website, www.roap.unep.org, it stated that the prestigious competition invited “children aged 6-14 to express through painting actions they can take to reduce the impact of climate change such as using renewable energy, introducing energy saving light bulbs at home, sharing vehicles and using public transport, planting trees etc.”.

Jointly organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon, this annual painting competition has been held since 1990 and has so far received over 200,000 entries from children in over 100 countries.

According to its website, “the International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment is part of UNEP's TUNZA strategy for children and youth. TUNZA is a word in Kiswahili that means to “treat with care”. The program aims to provide young people with information and tools on how to “treat Mother Earth with care” and how to act for a better world”.

Congratulations to Dave for his amazing achievements! The people of Davao are very proud of you.

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.mom-about-town.blogspot.com.