Coastal resource staff in American Samoa are capturing how children view the coast, and are using it to reach both the children and the adults in the community today. It has become one of the most successful awareness campaigns the agency has undertaken, says Genevieve Brighouse, the Coastal Management Program's manager. It captures everyone's attention very simply rather than through a whole lot of words and pamphlets.
People respond to seeing how the environment is viewed through the eyes of the younger generation.
A competition for the artwork is kicked off in September during CoastWeeks, Brighouse explains. The competition is open to all students at the elementary and high school levels. A week before the October deadline, the schools select the best work from each class and submit them to the competition. We've gotten a great response. It's really difficult for us to judge because all of the artwork is great.