SHERBURNE – Students from high schools in Chenango, Cayuga, Madison, Onondaga and Wayne counties endured the rain in order to take part in the Central New York Regional Envirothon at Roger’s Environmental Education Center yesterday and today. The entirely outdoor event is a competition, testing students’ knowledge of environmental issues.
The Envirothon is a competition involving a series of hands-on contests, in which teams of five students, with an advisor, compete to solve environmental problems. “The Envirothon stimulates practical curriculum development by establishing broad study areas and helping schools to find useful resources in their community,” states the New York state Envirothon web site www.nysenvirothon.org.
Five teams from Chenango County attended the event: The Notorious DIRT and Tungsten Titans from Bainbridge-Guilford, led by co-advisors Ed McFee and Erin Dregan, Otselic Valley Senioritis and Humble White Tail Hunters from Otselic Valley, led by Betty Robinson and Patsy Graham, and White-Tailed Deer from DCMO BOCES, led by Maureen Bartlett. According to one school’s advisor, the students are encouraged to make up funny and original team names.
“Usually we have a good day, despite the weather. We get outside and have a good time and learn something new,” said Graham.
“The kids rotate to six different stations. At five they have written tests,” said Envirothon Director Fred von Mechow. The students are tested on their knowledge of aquatics, forestry, wildlife, soils and current environmental issues. At the sixth station the students have to give an oral presentation about a specific issue. This year’s topic was alternative energy. “They are given a scenario to set it up, and they respond,” said Mechow.
Awards are given to the top team in each category, with the top team in each county winning the opportunity to go to the state Envirothon competition at SUNY Cobleskill.
Bainbridge-Guilford’s team of sophomores, The Notorious DIRT took first place and will be going to the state competition. “This is the kind of competition where a smaller school can do well, because you don’t really need a large team. It fits a lot of kids who grow up in this area,” said McFee. DCMO BOCES White-Tailed Deer came in second, Otselic Valley’s Senioritis took third and their Humble White Tail Hunters came in fourth, and B-G’s Tungsten Titans were fifth. Despite the wet weather, advisors and students had a good time. “It’s one of the best parts of education there is,” said Robinson.
The state competition will be held at the end of May. “The team is very excited about going to the state competition. They’re already thinking of ways to improve,” said McFee.