May 26, 2014 3 min read

Carmichaels Area High School Envirothon team placed third in the 2014 State Envirothon competition May 20 and 21 at Susquehanna University.

High school students from 64 Pennsylvania counties participated in this year’s event. Carmichaels represented Greene County in the competition.

Carmichaels had the second highest score in the soils and wildlife stations and a total score of 510 points for the competition, only 12 points away from first place.

Each team member received a $300 scholarship, a third place medallion and a travel mug. The team was awarded a wooden plaque made from Pennsylvania hardwoods along with reference books.

Envirothon is an environmental education and natural resource program.

It consists of the annual state competition in which winning teams from participating counties compete for recognition and scholarships by demonstrating their knowledge of environmental science and natural resource management.

The Carmichaels team placed first in the county Envirothon, sponsored by the Greene County Conservation District. The team includes teacher and coach Kevin Willis and members Tyler Crago, Philip Mikalik, Ashley Dotson, Emma Lowry and Douglas Kowalewski,

This year marks the ninth year in a row the Carmichaels Envirothon team placed in the top 10 at the State Envirothon. The team placed second in 2010 and 2006 and fourth in 2011.

The last two years, the team placed fifth overall in the state. In 2009, the team placed seventh, in 2008, eighth and 10th in 2007.

At 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 2014 current environmental issue focused on sustainable agriculture/buying local. The teams also prepared and delivered oral presentations to judges who evaluated 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.

Top 10 winners, with scores include:

• First – Penncrest High School, Delaware County, with a score of 522.33 points out of 600;

• Second – YHSA Homeschoolers, York County, with a score of 520;

• Third – Carmichaels Area High School, with a score of 510;

• Fourth – Palmyra Area High School, Lebanon County, with a score of 482;

• Fifth – Downingtown East High School, Chester County, with a score of 481.33;

• Sixth – Redbank Valley High School, Clarion County, with a score of 473;

• Seventh – Neshaminy High School, Bucks County, with a score of 453.67;

• Eighth – Central Valley High School, Beaver County, with a score of 447.33;

• Ninth – Blue Mountain High School, Schuylkill County, with a score of 446.67;

• Tenth – Lewisburg Area High School, Union County, with a score of 445.67.

At the state level, Envirothon is sponsored by Pennsylvania’s 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 numerous agency partners.

The Pennsylvania Envirothon awarded scholarships to the first, second and third place teams. The scholarships were sponsored by Pennsylvania’s County Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania Envirothon. Each of the top 10 teams received a plaque and other prizes.

For more information on the Envirothon program, contact your county conservation district or call the Pennsylvania Envirothon by phone at 814-623-7900 ext. 111, email paenvirothon@pennswoods.net or visit the website at www.envirothonpa.org/.