EDUCATION
The North American Envirothon A CONTINENTAL COMPETITION TO BUILD FUTURE WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS By Josh Seehorn
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ith the 2013 North American Envirothon on the horizon later this summer, high school students across the continent are competing in regional, state, and provincial contests to determine who will advance to the SUHVWLJLRXV 1RUWK $PHULFDQ ¿QDO ZKLFK ZLOO EH held in Bozeman, Montana on August 4-9. Preparations are underway to receive some 500 students and volunteers for a week of training, testing, and entertainment during North America’s largest high school environmental education competition. The mission of the North American Envirothon is to develop knowledgeable, skilled, and dedicated citizens who have an understanding of natural resources and are willing and prepared to work towards achieving and maintaining a balance between the quality of life and the quality of the environment. As a former competitor and current Event Coordinator for the 2014 North American Envirothon (to be held next summer in Athens, Georgia), I can attest to the power of this experience in transforming citizens into environmental stewards and encouraging many students to go on to careers in natural resources.
state, provincial, or regional competitions. The top team from each state or province advances to the North American Envirothon to face some of the most skilled natural resource students on the continent. These students come from all walks of life and comSHWH RQ ¿YH PHPEHU WHDPV LQ ¿YH DUHDV ZLOGOLIH forestry, soils and land use, aquatic ecology, and a rotating topic that usually relates to an environmental issue in the host state. This year’s Envirothon in Montana, for example, will feature issues related to sustainable rangeland management, and next year in Georgia the topic will be locally grown agriculture. In addition to written exams, students are tested on VNLOOV VXFK DV LGHQWL¿FDWLRQ RI SHOWV VNXOOV RU WUHHV ZDWHU TXDOLW\ PHDVXUHPHQWV DQG VRLO FODVVL¿FDWLRQ At the North American event, teams are also given an entire day to develop an oral presentation regarding a scenario based on the current topic. The students then make their presentation in front of a panel of judges—wildlife biologists, foresters, soil scientists, hydrologists, teachers, and others—who evaluate the students’ critical thinking and presentation skills.
Credit: Dean Deming
Josh Seehorn has a master’s degree in natural resources from the University of Georgia and is Vice-Chair of the Georgia Envirothon and Event Coordinator for the 2014 North American Envirothon.
Planting the Seed Launched in Pennsylvania in 1979 as the “EnvironPHQWDO 2O\PSLFV ´ WKH SURJUDP EHJDQ DV DQ H̆RUW WR expand environmental education beyond high school FODVVURRPV E\ JLYLQJ VWXGHQWV IURP GL̆HUHQW VFKRROV an opportunity to compete in written, hands-on, and oral categories. Many state and federal agencies—including the U.S. Forest Service, the National Association of Conservation Districts, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service—provide support and professional expertise in developing testing materials and instructors. Corporate donations— particularly from chief sponsor Canon USA, Inc.— have sustained the competition and allowed it to expand. Today, the Envirothon involves more than 45 states and 10 Canadian provinces and includes more than 500,000 students every year. Students begin their long trek to the North American Envirothon by competing in their respective
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Credit: Deborah Logan
Students from Alberta, Canada identify fish and examine water samples during the 2012 North American Envirothon, held in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. Roughly 500 students from across the continent compete in the annual event, which will be held this year in Bozeman, Montana.
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3UHSDUDWLRQ DQG 3D\R̆V Teams download their study materials from the Envirothon website, but they are also encouraged to investigate other resources to bolster their understanding of the subject areas. For many students, WKLV LV WKH ÂżUVW WLPH WKH\ DUH LQWURGXFHG WR WKH ÂżHOG of natural resources or career opportunities within WKH ÂżHOG DQG WKLV PDNHV WKH (QYLURWKRQ D PHDQLQJful stepping stone for students who may want to pursue higher education and ultimately careers in natural resource professions. “I’ve participated in the Envirothon for three years, and it has been a wonderful experience,â€? says Maryland high school student Sarah Larose. “I have gained years of expeULHQFH WKDW ZLOO GHÂżQLWHO\ KHOS PH LQ FROOHJH DQG LQ my future career as a biologist.â€? Credit: Deborah Logan
Such experience can be enriching on many fronts. At all levels, Envirothon events help students develop their social skills, public speaking abilities, and teamwork mindsets. Students develop these universally useful skills while participating in competition activities, during social networking events, when giving presentations, and when giving speeches if receiving various awards at the conclusion of the event. As a bonus, students who advance to the North American Envirothon compete for over $107,000 in scholarships and products donated by Canon USA.
Credit: Deborah Logan
Credit: Deborah Logan
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The Wildlife Professional, Summer 2013
As valuable as such rewards may be, environmental education remains the cornerstone of the program. While most high school students spend countless hours indoors behind a desk, Envirothon provides an opportunity for students to get out and learn about natural resources in a natural setting and actually experience the issues they’re studying. “This is a great chance to visit actual ecosystems and to meet and compete with other students who have a passion for the environment,� said Kate Harnish of Nova Scotia. Taylor Szasz of Mississippi adds,
North American Envirothon in Action. An open field becomes a makeshift classroom (top) for students attending the 2011 North American Envirothon in New Brunswick, Canada, where the focus was on salt and freshwater estuaries. During that 2011 event, scores of students gathered together for boxed lunches and conversation with fellow competitors (center). During the 2012 Envirothon in Pennsylvania, a team from Connecticut (bottom) examines soil structure, rooting depths, and other characteristics that can affect agriculture and ecosystems. Teams that have won state or provincial competitions advance to the North American final, the continent’s largest natural-resources competition for high school students.
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“Envirothon has established within me a greater and more well-informed respect for nature.” Envirothon not only generates a respect for natural resources, but can even redirect an individual’s career aspirations. “Envirothon completely changed my life,” says Amal Al-Lozi of Missouri. “I was planning to become a pediatric neurologist, but after participating in Envirothon, I decided to pursue ecology instead.”
A Wider Reach
7KDW SRVLWLYH LQÀXHQFH PD\ VRRQ H[SDQG DFURVV WKH globe. Organizers of the Envirothon have been receiving inquiries from other nations such as Mexico, Japan, and Australia, who may one day start their own competitions. To ensure its continued growth and success, Envirothon depends on guidance from natural resource professionals who are willing to volunteer their time to help develop and update educational materials and R̆HU LQVWUXFWLRQ GXULQJ FRPSHWLWLRQV 0DQ\ PHPEHUV of The Wildlife Society currently do just that, helping to generate a new generation of wildlife stewards and perpetuate standards of excellence in the profession. I would encourage anyone who is interested in helping with the July 2014 North American Envirothon in Athens, Georgia to contact the North American Board of Directors at www.envirothon.org or the event coordinators at 2014envirothon@gmail.com. Such participation would be a way to ‘pay forward’ a passion we all share.
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