And the Winners Are...
APS Character Education Poster Contest Winners Announced at the 10th Anniversary Celebration of Character Education in Arizona

November 19, 2009

As part of the 10th anniversary celebration of CHARACTER COUNTS! in Arizona, APS hosted a character education and energy conservation poster contest -- and the winning K-8 students and entries were recognized at a celebration last week.

The APS Character Education Poster Contest allowed students to design their own poster using energy conservation tips and the six pillars of character. Divided into three categories - kindergarten through second grade; third through fifth grade; and sixth through eighth grade - the winners received a gift certificate to a local bookstore.

The winners of the APS Character Education Poster Contest were:

Kindergarten - second grade:

• First Place:  Alyssa Siguenza - Verrado Elementary School, Buckeye
• Second Place:  Alexis Lovell - Verrado Elementary School, Buckeye
• Third Place:  Niki Lussier - Verrado Elementary School, Buckeye

Third grade - fifth grade:

• First Place:  Thomas Nguyen - Palm Valley Elementary School, Litchfield Park
• Second Place:  Maya Kohli - Westar Elementary School, Goodyear
• Third Place:  Casandra Vega - Palm Valley Elementary School, Litchfield Park

Sixth grade - eighth grade:

• First Place:  Minerva Vidaurrazaga - Palo Verde Middle School, Phoenix
• Second Place:  Allison Jackson - Desert Thunder Elementary School, Goodyear
• Third Place:  Benjamin Maglajac - Palo Verde Middle School, Phoenix

APS hosted the celebratory reception at their corporate headquarters in downtown Phoenix, partnering with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and the Arizona Character Education Foundation (ACEF). The night featured Michael Josephson, President and Founder of CHARACTER COUNTS!, and Tammy Linn, ACEF President, along with Senator Linda Gray, Deputy Superintendent Margaret Dugan and former Governor Jane Hull.

CHARACTER COUNTS! is a non-profit national organization that improves the lives of the communities that embrace it by giving kids a framework for ethical living, using the universal values of the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

APS, Arizona's largest and longest-serving electricity utility, serves about 1.1 million customers in 11 of the state's 15 counties. With headquarters in Phoenix, APS is the principal subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corp.  (NYSE: PNW).

Jenna Henry, APS Media Contact
(602) 689-0289