York County Homeschool Wins 30th Pennsylvania Envirothon

The 30th annual Pennsylvania State Envirothon champions, scoring 550.67 points of a possible 600, are from the York County Homeschool located in York County.  The York County team earned the honor to represent Pennsylvania at the North American Envirothon.

Rounding out the top 10 winners, with scores are:

Second Place – MMI Preparatory School, Luzerne County, with a score of 550.33;

Third Place – Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 543;

Fourth Place – Palmyra Area High School, Lebanon County, with a score of 498.67;

Fifth Place – Carmichaels Area High School, Greene County, with a score of 494.67;

Sixth Place – Sugar Valley Rural Charter School, Clinton County, with a score of 472;

Seventh Place – United Jr. Sr. High School, Indiana County, with a score of 470.67;

Eighth Place – Oley Valley High School, Berks County, with a score of 454.33;

Ninth Place – Redbank Valley High School, Clarion County, with a score of 453.33;

Tenth Place –  Parkland High School, Lehigh County, with a score of 452.67.

The PA Envirothon awarded scholarships to the first, second, and third place teams.  The scholarships were sponsored by Pennsylvania’s County Conservation Districts and PA Envirothon.  Each of the top ten teams received a plaque and other prizes.

Top 10 Oral Component winners, with scores include:

First Place – General McLane High School, Erie County, with a score of 97.33;

Second Place – Palmyra Area High School, Lebanon County, with a score of 96.67;

Third Place – York Homeschool, York County, with a score of 96.67;

Fourth Place – MMI Preparatory School, Luzerne County, with a score of 92.33;

Fifth Place – Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 92;

Sixth Place – Carmichaels Area High School, Greene County, with a score of 90.67;

Seventh Place – Cumberland Valley High School, Cumberland County, with a score of 89.67;

Eighth Place – Oley Valley High School, Berks County, with a score of 89.33;

Ninth Place – Central Columbia High School, Columbia County, with a score of 88.67;

Tenth Place – Warren Area High School, Warren County, with a score of 88.33.

The PA Envirothon was held at Juniata College on May 21 and 22.  High school students from 61 Pennsylvania counties participated in this year’s event.

At the Envirothon, five-member teams participate in a series of field-oriented tests that focus on five topic areas – soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and environmental issues.  

The 2013 current environmental issue focused on Grazing and Pastureland Management.  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 across the state.  

At the state level, the Envirothon is sponsored by Pennsylvania’s sixty-six conservation districts, the State Conservation Commission, and the PA Association of Conservation Districts.  The program is managed by a board of directors representing those sponsors.  

Technical expertise is provided by the following agency partners:  Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Game Commission, Fish and Boat Commission, and the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service.  

Sponsors of the 2013 Envirothon are PPL Corporation, Marcellus Shale Coalition, Shell Oil Co., Air Products Foundation, Bayer HealthCare, North American Envirothon, Department of Environmental Protection Office Environmental Education, PA Association of Conservation Districts, and State Conservation Commission.  

The Hershey Company, Dwight Lewis Lumber, Lewis Lumber Products, PPL, and Cargill are “corporate station sponsors.”

The 2013 PA Envirothon champions will represent the Commonwealth at the 26th North American Envirothon competition planned for August 4–10 at Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.  

Pennsylvania has won the North American event in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2009.  

More than 45 states, eight Canadian provinces, and one Canadian territory have initiated Envirothon contests based on the program that was originally developed by Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.

For more information on the Envirothon program, contact your county conservation district or contact the Pennsylvania Envirothon by phone 814-623-7900 ext. 111, send email to: paenvirothon@pennswoods.net, or visit the PA Envirothon website.

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