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Growing Leaders Through Envirothon
By Jennifer Burgan
Envirothon is North America’s largest environmental education competition. It all started some forty six years ago when a Pennsylvania Soil and Water Conservation District wanted to encourage high school students to become interested in natural resource conservation and careers. Today Envirothon is a program of National Conservation Foundation and still collaborates with Soil and Water Conservation Districts all over the country.
There are five subject areas of the competition; aquatic ecology, soils and land use, wildlife, forestry and current issues. This competition is specifically designed for high school students in grade 9-12 that are competing in groups of three to five students.
“Envirothon keeps students engaged beyond high school. One of my former Envirothon team members is serving on the Harrison County Soil and Water Conservation Board alongside me.”
This year I am working with my Agriculture Teacher and together we have two teams of students. Each student is specializing in one of the five subject areas showcasing skills and knowledge such as thinking critically about water quality issues, tree identification, soil conservation practices and identifying anatomy of different wildlife species.
The special topic this year is Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change. Students will be expected to explain climate change and the effect on the environment, forest health in a changing climate, rights of indigenous people to land stewardship, legislation and regulation of forestry. Students are expected to have depth of knowledge within each of these broad topics. They get to learn and share their knowledge in this competition.
“It’s so cool to see them putting to use the information they learned in my class. “
This is the first year I have sponsored a team in over 10 years! I started Envirothon several years ago and had a great group of students who competed in the regional competition. Schedules got in the way, but just recently we have been able to rekindle this competition and will have our first competition in just two weeks.
To prepare we have been meeting each week and working independently to learn specialized subject areas. Next week we are going to Kentucky State University’s Farm to get some additional training before our competition.
Envirothon keeps students engaged beyond high school. One of my former Envirothon team members is serving on the Harrison County Soil and Water Conservation Board alongside me. He also was just voted as Area 5 Alternate Representative to the state board of directors. Several current members of my team are my former students. It’s so cool to see them putting to use the information they learned in my class.
What to get involved in Envirothon? Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation Board. Each county in Kentucky has an office and access to vast resources to get you started. You will be encouraged by the enthusiasm of the youth of today.
