The 36th Pennsylvania Envirothon state competition was held at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown and Windber Recreation Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 21 and 22, 2019. High school students from 66 Pennsylvania counties participated in this year’s event.
At the Envirothon, five-member teams participate in a series of field station tests that focus on five topic areas – soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and environmental issues. The 2019 current environmental issues focused on “Agriculture and the Environment: Knowledge and Technology to Feed the World.” The teams also prepare and deliver oral presentations to panels of judges who evaluate each team on its problem-solving capabilities, oral presentation skills and recommendations to help solve the specific environmental challenge, which relates to the current environmental issue.
Teams participating represent the best and the brightest of the thousands of high school teens who have competed in county Envirothon competitions sponsored by conservation districts from across the state and the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. At the state level, the Envirothon is sponsored by Pennsylvania’s sixty-six county conservation districts, the State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts. The program is managed by a board of directors representing those sponsors. Technical expertise is provided by the following partners: PA Department of Agriculture, PA Department of Environmental Protection, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PA Game Commission, PA Fish and Boat Commission, and U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Sponsors and partners of the 2019 Envirothon are PA Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Department of Education, National Energy Foundation, Shell Oil Company, PPL, The Hershey Company, EQT Foundation, Weis, Chief Oil & Gas LLC, UGI Utilities, Car Charging Group, Pittsburgh Regional Clean Cities, and National Conservation Foundation Envirothon.
The 2019 Pennsylvania Envirothon champions will represent the Commonwealth at the 31st NCF-Envirothon competition planned for July 28 – August 2 at North Carolina State University, Raleigh. More than 47 states, eight Canadian provinces, one Canadian territory, and two Chinese provinces have initiated Envirothon contests based on the program that was originally developed by Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.
The 2019 Pennsylvania Envirothon champions, scoring 536.0 points of a possible 600, are from Carmichaels Area High School located in Greene County. The Greene County team earned the honor to represent Pennsylvania at the NCF-Envirothon international competition.
Top 10 winners, with scores include:
First Place – Carmichaels Area High School, Greene County, with a score of 536.0;
Second Place – Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 531.0;
Third Place – Hempfield High School, Lancaster County, with a score of 499.7;
Fourth Place – Bradford Area High School, McKean County, with a score of 493.7;
Fifth Place – York Home School Association, York County, with a score of 491.0;
Sixth Place – Central Valley High School, Beaver County, with a score of 489.0;
Seventh Place – Everett Area High School, Bedford County, with a score of 484.7;
Eighth Place – Conneaut Area High School, Crawford County, with a score of 482.0;
Ninth Place – Palmyra Area High School, Lebanon County, with a score of 479.3;
Tenth Place – Blue Mountain High School, Schuylkill County, with a score of 476.7.
The Pennsylvania Envirothon awarded scholarships to the first through fifth place teams. The scholarships were sponsored by Pennsylvania’s County Conservation Districts and Shell Oil. Each of the top ten teams received a plaque and other prizes.
The high station winners, with scores, include:
Soils/Land Use – Palmyra Area High School, Lebanon County, with a score of 90;
Aquatic Ecology – Carmichaels Area High School, Greene County, with a score of 93;
Forestry – Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 86;
Wildlife – Blue Mountain High School, Schuylkill County, with a score of 94;
Current Issue – Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 95;
Oral Presentation Component – Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 100.
For more information on the Envirothon program, contact your county conservation district or contact the Pennsylvania Envirothon by phone (814) 310-3271, Email Lorelle Steach, or visit the website.