The students pictured (left to right) Christina Chia and Jenny Wang (Gabrielino), Johnathon Truong and Sandy Luu (Rosemead).  Jessica La (Gabrielino was not available for the picture.

Twenty-five excited high school students from Fullerton to Redlands and Rim-of-the-World boarded the bus at Monterey Park American Legion Post 397 headed for Sacramento, Sly Park and Lake Tahoe, to attend the Youth Environmental Leadership Conference May 13^th through May 15^th.  Sponsored by San Gabriel American Legion Post 442 and Charter Cove Post 755, local students included Christina Chia, Jenny Wang and Jessica La from Gabrielino High and Johnathon Truong and Sandy Luu from Rosemead High. The purpose of the program, sponsored by The American Legion in conjunction with the United States Forest Service, is to sharpen the students’ awareness of the interdependence of man and his surroundings and involves the aufblasbarer hindernisparcours students in the land-use decision-making process.  Counseled by instructors from universities and colleges throughout the State, professionals from federal and state forestry agencies and private industry, students are instructed in all phases of forestry, conservation and environmental activities and land management.  Subjects of instruction include watershed and timber management, lumbering, entomology, wildlife management, fire detection and control, fire fighting, flood and erosion control reforestation, geology, natural history, recreation area development and management, ecology and environmental changes.  Career guidance is given in these and allied fields, including degree requirements and employment opportunities. A scholarship is offered annually to qualified students after completing one year of college and continuing with a major in a related field.  One of the highlights each year is the trip to beautiful Lake Tahoe, and this year the students were greeted with snow and one-student reports making her first snowman!