High School Students Compete In 24th Westmoreland County Envirothon May 4

Students from nine area high schools are beginning their final weeks of preparation for the annual Westmoreland County Envirothon, which will be held at Mammoth Park in Mount Pleasant on May 4.

 

This exciting academic competition, sponsored by the Westmoreland Conservation District, presents students in grades 9-12 with a variety of challenges related to our natural resources. Students may be asked to measure a tree…analyze water from a stream…or examine soil to identify its characteristics.

 

Students work as a team to answer questions of fact, and use their critical thinking to find solutions to reality-based situations, such as how to balance the use and protection of our natural resources. Topics of the challenge include: forests, soil, wildlife, aquatic environments, and this year’s special issue: biodiversity

 

The Westmoreland Conservation District reports that some 75 students are scheduled to participate in this 24th annual competition, representing Burrell, Derry Area Senior, Greensburg Central Catholic, Greensburg Salem, Kiski Area, Mount Pleasant, Norwin Senior, and Yough Senior high schools…as well as The Kiski School. Each school has registered at least one team in this year’s competition; Burrell, Greensburg Salem, Kiski Area, Mount Pleasant, and Yough Senior high schools have each registered two teams.

 

Faculty advisors for the teams are: Amy McGrath, Burrell; Roy Campbell, Derry Area Senior; George Jankik, Greensburg Central Catholic; Angelo Ross, Greensburg Salem; Ralph Lemmon, Kiski Area; Nancy Wells, The Kiski School; BettyJo Breakiron, Mount Pleasant; Joyce Muchoney, Norwin Senior; and Greg King, Yough.

 

The winning Westmoreland County team will go on to compete in the Pennsylvania State Envirothon on Tuesday, May 19 at Bald Eagle State Park, in Howard, Center County, Pa.

 

State winners move on to the ultimate challenge – a final national/international competition called the Canon Envirothon – that will be held at the University of North Carolina during the first full week of August.

 

In the previous 23 years of competition, Westmoreland County teams have gone on to win the state championship four times . . . placed among the top three teams in the state seven times . . . and competed nationally three times, placing sixth, fifth, and second.

 

A number of cooperating agencies assist the Westmoreland Conservation District in hosting the county Envirothon, including: The Game Commission, the DCNR Bureau of Forestry, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Penn State Cooperative Extension Westmoreland County, and the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation.

 

Corporate contributors play a significant role in generously providing financial and in-kind support for this event. Special thanks for their support this year go to Kennametal Inc., Adam Eidemiller Inc., and Giant Eagle.

 

Visit the PA Envirothon website for more information on the program.