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June 3, 2016
Local high schoolers competed for Envirothon honors by Christopher Cornell
ADVANTAGE EDITOR
It’s a chance to show off the knowledge they’ve gained all year, as well as claim bragging rights for their school. It’s called Envirothon, an academic competition designed to test students’ knowledge regarding Pennsylvania’s natural resources, and local high schoolers take it very seriously. The concept originated in in 1979 (it was then called the “Envirolympics”) by the Fulton, Luzerne and Schuylkill conservation districts. Interest in the program expanded and, in 1984, the first state competition was organized, with six teams competing. Now, the program includes more than 15,000 high school students from all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Interest also spread outside of the commonwealth, and in 1988, a national competition (now known as the North American Envirothon) began. At an Envirothon, five-member teams participate in a series of field-station tests that focus on five topic areas — soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife and environmental issues. Each year a particular environmental issue is the focus of the tests. This year the topic was “invasive species.” The teams also prepare and deliver oral presentations to panels of judges who evaluate each team on its problem-solving capabilities, oral presentation skills and recommendations to help solve an environ-
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mental challenge. Keystone College recently hosted students from schools in Lackawanna and Wyoming counties for the county-level competition, and three local schools were among the competitors. This year there was a presentation by naturalist Rick Koval, a display of species of amphibians and reptiles native to Pennsylvania and an interactive demonstration on how to make maple syrup. The competition is sponsored by the Lackawanna and Wyoming County Conservation Districts, Keystone College, Lackawanna State Park and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Support is provided by Pennsylvania American Water, Pennsylvania Trappers and PPL. These Mid Valley High School students participated: Lakeland High School’s team took first Rich Chwanec, J.J. Glinsky, Ginger Hill, Samantha Kropa, place and moved on to the state Envirothon Julia Betti, Marissa Bennici, Rebecca Chieffalo, Jesse competition. Kasper, Karam Sigh and science club advisor Bill Buza. Valley View High School sent three teams to the competition; they finished second, fourth and sixth. Teacher Anastasia Zabielski was their faculty adviser. “I was very excited for all the groups involved from Valley View,” she said. “This is only the second year attending the competition, and the students really got involved and connected to the content. The Envirothon is an opportunity to connect students to the outdoors and allows them to gain an appreciation of the world around
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advantage @timesshamrock.com Valley View High School’s competitors included, from left, front row: Vinny Betti, Bella Picchini, Alexa Kobrynich, Lakeland High School’s team took first place and moved on to the state Envirothon Lindsay Ubaldini, Kassidy Legg and Connor Judge. Second competition. From left: Michael Goerlitz, Liam Osburn, Graeme Nichols, James Lewis row: Brandon Judge, James McKane, Mike DeLeo, Mason Black, Jennifer Nguyen, Samantha Humen, Megan Zabieland Armen Rissmiller. PHOTO BY ALEAH SNEDEKER ski, Robert Walker and Brien Wedlock. TS_CNG/ADVANTAGE/PAGES [A01] | 06/02/16
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