Envirothons to provide help to local teachers

Teachers, are you looking for creative ways to connect your environmental science curriculum to real-world scenarios without adding an overwhelming amount of work to your already full workload? The Montgomery Soil & Water Conservation District invites you to join in at one or both Envirothons this spring.

The Envirothon is an environmental high school competition where ninth-12th grade students are tested in the areas of Aquatics, Wildlife, Forestry, Soils and a Current Environmental Issue (CEI) that changes each year. The tests, written and administered by experts in each specialty, are taken in the field by a team of five students. The questions range from conducting measurements on trees to identifying wildlife by its tracks to answering general knowledge questions. The Envirothon is designed to stimulate, reinforce and enhance interest in the environment and natural resources among high school students.

High school students across the state compete on the local level at one of five Area Envirothons. The top four teams from each Area Envirothon go on to compete at the State Envirothon for the title of State Champion. The State Champion team from Ohio competes at the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) Envirothon held annually somewhere in North America.

Montgomery County is part of the Area IV Envirothon along with 17 other counties in the Southwest corner of Ohio. Each year the location of the Area IV Envirothon changes. On April 24, it will be at Possum Creek MetroPark.

The Montgomery SWCD also hosts a smaller local event in partnership with Greene SWCD, known as the County Envirothon, which precedes the Area IV Envirothon on April 10. Participation in the County Envirothon is not required for the Area IV Envirothon, but gives students a chance to gain deeper understanding of the topics.

These contests are open to any Montgomery County schools. If you have never participated and would like to, contact Education/ Information Specialist Kristen Lauer at LauerK@mcohio.org or 937-854-7645, Ext. 0521, with questions. Go to www.MontgomerySWCD.org for links to brochures and registration forms for these events.

If you are outside of Montgomery County, contact your local SWCD for details on their events.