9 teams of high school students compete in Niagara-Orleans Envirothon

Provided photos: Nine teams competed on Thursday in the Niagara-Orleans Regional Envirothon and put their knowledge to the test with wildlife, aquatics, forestry, soils/land use, and the current environmental issue of adapting to climate change.

Press Release, Niagara County Soil & Water Conservation District

LEWISTON – Nine teams of high school students from Lockport High School, Lyndonville High School, Niagara Career & Technical Education Center, and Orleans Career & Technical Education Center competed Thursday at the Niagara-Orleans Regional Envirothon held at Bond Lake Park Nature Center in Lewiston.

Teams of five or six students in grades 9-12 were tested on wildlife, aquatics, forestry, soils/land use, and a current environmental issue. This year’s current issue is Adapting to Climate Change, bringing to light ways to reduce climate change and how to continue to do so in the future.  Students were on top of their game, hard fought tie-breakers decided the winners for two of the categories.

The top scoring team overall was from Niagara County and included Brayden Barber, Lorna Becker, Marissa Stoddard, Cassidy Wagner and Aaron Zaker.

The top scoring team overall & from Niagara County was from Mr. Paul Dewey’s class at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center Team 2! Students included Brayden Barber, Lorna Becker, Marissa Stoddard, Cassidy Wagner and Aaron Zaker.

The top scoring team from Orleans County was from Mr. Peter Jablonski and Ms. Brooke Kiefer’s class at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center Team 1! Students included Eliana Benedict, Arianna Bloom, Ella Booth, Olivia Coles, Kristopher Meyers, and Kayla Burgio.

Both teams will move on to represent their county at the NYS Envirothon later this month at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Good luck teams!

The top scoring team from Orleans County included Eliana Benedict, Arianna Bloom, Ella Booth, Olivia Coles, Kristopher Meyers and Kayla Burgio.

The Niagara-Orleans Regional Envirothon is a yearly event coordinated by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Niagara and Orleans counties.

Envirothon is an environmental competition on different aspects of the outdoors. It gives students hands-on experience and knowledge of the environment to understand how to protect and manage the natural resources around them.

A special thank you to the event’s sponsors the GM Foundation, NewRoyal Orchards, and Orleans Poverty Hill Farm for providing breakfast, lunch, and Envirothon loot. Essential support is provided by schools and community advisors, as well as local specialists in each field.

Exams and proctoring were provided by the Aquarium of Niagara, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, and both Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

After the exams students met with Ken Johnson, the Plant Director at General Motors in Lockport, to discuss and learn about GM’s plans for Clean Energy plants, new electronic vehicles, and their Triple-Zero Vision.

For more information about Envirothon visit www.envirothon.org or www.nysenvirothon.org.  To participate next year please reach out to our office at 716-434-4949 ext. 4 or email Katherine.pfeifer@ny.nacdnet.net.