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On May 28 and 29, nearly 100 high school students converged at Lake Wenatchee to vie for the State Envirothon Championship.
Once a year, the best teams from around the State convene for this annual natural resource competition. This year’s event was coordinated by Laura Clark of the Okanogan Conservation District, with help from the Washington State Envirothon Committee.
Sponsored by conservation districts, the Washington State Conservation Commission, Canon Envirothon, and other community partners, Envirothon challenges students on the topics of forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology, soils, and current issues in resource management. During the competition, students move through stations, working as a team to answer questions, use equipment, and problem solve together.
In addition, each team is judged on an oral presentation based on the current issue topic chosen for the year. This year the current issue topic was recreational impacts on natural resources; teams made presentations on whether or not to allow a new boat launch on Lake Wenatchee.
The station tests were challenging, but students all were outstanding in their ability to work together and think through solutions for managing our natural resources. Ultimately, three teams rose to the top: First place went to Garfield-Palouse High; second place to Sky Valley in Monroe, and third place to Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center in Bellevue. Garfield-Palouse High will advance to the North American competition sponsored by Canon, to be held in Arizona next July.
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