People pulled up jacket hoods and shoved hands in pockets as they tried to ignore near-freezing temperatures and chill winds Tuesday morning. But they were also focused on the task at hand—competing in the 2022 Area IV Envirothon.
Around 300 high school students from 18 southwest Ohio counties converged in Logan County for the one-day challenge. Held at the Myeerah Nature Preserve outside Bellefontaine, this competitive, academic team event sends students outside and tests their knowledge in five areas: aquatics, wildlife, forestry, soils and current environmental issues. The top four teams will move on to the state level.
Logan County participants included three teams from Bellefontaine City Schools and one team from Indian Lake Schools.
Steve McGinnis, a forester with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, wrote this year’s forestry test, something he’s done several times before. “The goal is to get kids out here, get them involved, see what they know, and teach them some stuff,” he said. “We’re hoping to get some future foresters out of it.”
Another test writer, LaRae Baker, a conservationist with the Natural Resources Conversation Service (NRCS), also noted the benefits of competitions like this. She added, “It allows students to explore natural resources in different areas than what they’re used to at home.”
Each school can send up to three teams with no more than five students per team. This year, 62 teams attended. Typically, schools organize the teams so there’s one member with specific knowledge per topic. That way each student can focus on his or her strength.
Student participant Hunter Mills from Miami Valley Career Technology Center in Clayton appreciated the opportunity to talk with game wardens because “it’s something I’d like to do.” His teammate Brooklyn Elsman added, “I think this was a nice way to bring together the information we learned about the environment and expand what we know about nature.”
In addition to the student teams and their advisors, 50 volunteers from the Soil and Water Conservation District were on hand to help gather results, tally points and whatever else needed to be done.
They determined the top four teams that will move on to the state competition. Centerville #1 took first place while their classmates on team #2 came in second. Sycamore #1 was third, and Miami Valley CTS #1 finished fourth.
Jennifer Snipes, administrative assistant at the Logan Soil and Water Conservation District, organized this year’s event.
“We’re super grateful to the Bellefontaine Parks & Rec Department for putting this together,” she said. “And thanks to Kris Meyer for his help, which was instrumental to making it happen.”
The top two Ohio teams at the state level will compete for the national title, which will be held in Ohio this year at Miami University in Oxford. More information can be found at the Envirothon.org website.