Carmichaels Envirothon team places third in statewide competition
JOHNSTOWN — The Envirothon team from Carmichaels Area High School placed third in the 34th Pennsylvania Envirothon state competition held at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown on May 23 and 24.
High school students from 64 Pennsylvania counties participated in this year’s event.
The team representing Greene County had the highest score of all teams in the state in the Forestry station with an 87, second highest Oral Component score of 96.7, and a total score of 515.7 points for the competition, only 15.3 points away from first place.
Each team member received a $500 scholarship from the PA Envirothon. For third place, the team was awarded a wooden plaque made from Pennsylvania hardwoods. For the high station score, the team received a plaque along with field guides.
This year marks the eighth year in a row and the ninth time overall that the team has placed in the top 5 and the 12th year in a row that the team has placed in the top 10 at the State Envirothon. The team placed second in 2006 and 2010; third in 2014, 2016 and 2017; and fourth in 2011 and 2015. In 2012 and 2013 the team placed fifth; in 2009, seventh; 2008, eighth; and in 2007, 10th.
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 2017 current environmental issue focused on Agricultural Soil and Water Conservation Stewardship. 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.
Winning this year’s competition, scoring 531 points out of a possible 600, was the team from Penncrest High School in Delaware County. Penncrest will represent Pennsylvania at the 29th North American competition July 23-29 at Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, Md.
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.