Lightning rarely strikes twice in the same family, but the Terry and Susan Warner family of Provo have a rare brood of 10 artistically inclined children.
Last year, 11-year-old Mitchell entered the fourth annual creative arts contest sponsored by Sebastian's Little Green, the International Children's Campaign.In spite of the unwieldy number of entries - 100,000 - he was among the select final four who were chosen to spend a week in Brazil's rain forest.
This year, Mitchell's sister Jenny, 15, is a winner in the same contest.
John Sebastian, chairman and CEO of Sebastian International, founder of Little Green, said, "It is our goal to do whatever we can to help children understand the importance of not only being concerned about the environment but also taking action. It gives me hope when I see the difference this program has made in the lives of children all over the world."
The Little Green program, part of Sebastian's worldwide eco-awareness campaign, invites young people to express their environmental voices through art. Since 1990, it has reached more than 6 million children worldwide.
One day Mitchell's teacher put a pad of paper on his desk with the question, "Mitch, want to go to the rain forest?"
"Sure," he thought, so he made a poster outlining the need to work together to "make our earth greener and cleaner."
Mitch and his mother stayed in the Jungle Tower Hotel, went exploring, swam in the river - and even went nighttime alligator fishing.
Mitch loved it.
"We have all heard the dry facts before. But until you actually visit the rain forest, you will never know the profound effect it has on you."
Now, he says it's hard to believe they were there - and amazing that his sister would win also. "I'm just so happy for her!"
Mitchell's mother, Susan, says she had read a lot about the rain forest, "but I had no idea the feeling you would have there - the beauty and vastness of the place. It was an overwhelming experience - this gorgeous jungle. The thoughts of it being destroyed were frightening. The climate is so different, and the animals - so many and so wild."
She hopes her family will be more conscious of preserving the environment. "They told us how many acres a day were being destroyed. When you see it, you say how could ANYONE destroy it? It will take hundreds of years to replace it. When you're there, it is more poignant."
Terry, a BYU philosophy professor, has always been artistic. He says he knew Jenny is a "talented girl," but he and Susan thought to encourage her to enter the contest only in the final four days.
Her brother's excitement was infectious for Jenny. Even last year after his victory, she conceived the idea for her own entry.
It is a scale drawing of the rain forest on one side and a polluted city on the other - portraying the theme: "Preserving the Delicate Balance."
Although she had sketched out some ideas, she had to complete the project very quickly.
"I really like to write and to do art, but I'm not sure I'll ever do it. I'm not sure I'm really good enough." Although she looks forward to being a mother, she is is definitely interested in a career too. "Whatever I do, I'd like to do some art."
Little Green is obviously doing its job, because Jenny is energetic in her defense of the environment.
"We were just in Yellowstone Park, and there is so much commercialism there. I just think we are building things, and we never really look at what we're doing."