Having an Impact: High School Students Intern with AEP

Maria Ballesteros We are pleased to report that from October 17 to November 24, 2011 the Azuero Earth Project hosted two high school student interns, Maria Ballesteros and Fernando Janssen. Maria and Fernando made tremendous contributions to a variety of AEP projects by supporting staff in the Spider Monkey Initiative, assisting in the ARC library, and taking on leadership roles in Pedasi Recycles. Here is a bit about Maria and Fernando: Maria Ballesteros lives in Pedasí. She studied her first three years of high school at Manuel María Tejada Roca high school in Las Tablas and her last three years at the Plinio A. Moscoso Institute in Pedasí. Her high school degree is in Commerce with an emphasis in Administration of Tourism Services. Starting in January 2012, she will study to be a police officer with a specialty in graphic design at the Police Academy in Panama City. Her favorite hobby is listening to music. Fernando Janssen lives in Pedasí. He studied at Plinio A. Moscoso Institute, where he is in his 6th year studying for his degree in Administration of Tourism Services. He has conducted all of his studies in Pedasí. Starting in March 2012, he will study Geographic and Ecological Tourism at the University of Panamá in Las Tablas. He likes to listen to music, play soccer and baseball, but above all he gives thanks to God for all that he has been given in this life.

Fernando Janssen We are grateful to Maria and Fernando for their involvement with AEP and we wish them well in their future careers!