Envirothon is a fun, academic event. It challenges high school students to think critically about the natural world and their roles in it. Envirothon combines in-class curriculum and outdoor training, helping students to learn more about Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soil & Land Use, Wildlife, and Current Environmental Issues.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Pennsylvania Envirothon is to provide students with the knowledge and tools necessary to address the natural resource challenges facing today’s world as well as the challenges of tomorrow.
Vision Statement
The Pennsylvania Envirothon educates high school students in natural resource and environmental sciences. The program emphasizes the importance of environmental sensitivity while stressing a need to achieve a social, ecologic and economic balance in life. The learning objectives emphasize awareness, knowledge, attitudes and application.
Introduction
Young minds thrive on challenges. The Envirothon is a program designed to cultivate a desire to learn more about our natural environment through competitive events. For over 20 years, high schools in Pennsylvania have been recognizing the value of the Envirothon experience. Students and their teachers become empowered by their own motivation as the Envirothon engages them in an exciting, multi-faceted study of the environment. Students involved in the Envirothon often pursue further education in environmental fields. Many Envirothon participants pursuing college degrees in various natural resource studies have indicated that their education choice was partly due, or strengthened by, their Envirothon experience. Many Envirothon advisors credit the Envirothon with increasing student interest and involvement in environmental sciences. To many people involved, the Envirothon is more than just a competition.
Program Goals
The goal of the Pennsylvania Envirothon is not only to teach environmental facts and realities, but also to instill an understanding of the ecological and community factors that are involved in environmental decisions and actions. With society facing a number of pressing environmental management issues in areas such as water quality, ecosystems, solid waste and land use, it’s important to show tomorrow’s leaders the positive and negative effects that individual actions have on the natural environment. Understanding the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources, realizing environmental interactions and inter-dependencies, and knowing where to turn for facts concerning environmental matters are all part of the Envirothon experience. Thousands of students have met the challenge and are becoming more environmentally aware, action-oriented adults.
Objectives
Awareness The Envirothon Program will help students cultivate an awareness of the total environment and acquire sensitivity to its limited natural resources.
Knowledge The Envirothon Program will help students develop a basic understanding of the earth’s ecological systems and the interdependence of the human species with these systems.
Attitudes The Envirothon Program will help students develop a set of attitudes and feelings of concern for the environment and instill the motivation and commitment to participate in activities geared toward protecting the environment.
Application The Envirothon Program will help students develop skills needed to identify, investigate and contribute to the resolution of environmental issues and problems.