12 teams of high schoolers compete at Niagara-Orleans Envirothon

Medina FFA named top team from Orleans County

Provided photos: The Medina FFA team at the Niagara-Orleans Envirothon includes Tyler Allen, Mason Eick, Madison Farley, Camden Fike, Brody Fry and Austin Seefeldt. They are joined by the Ronny the Raindrop mascot.

Press Release, Niagara County Soil & Water Conservation District

LEWISTON – Twelve teams of high school students competed Thursday at the Niagara-Orleans Envirothon held at Bond Lake Park Nature Center in Lewiston.

The teams were from Albion, Barker, Lewiston-Porter, Lockport, Lyndonville, Medina, Newfane, Niagara Academy, Niagara Falls, Niagara Wheatfield, North Tonawanda, Royalton Hartland, Wilson, Niagara Career & Technical Education Center, and Orleans Career & Technical Education Center.

Teams of four to 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 Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change. Students had to develop a theoretical plan for a school district to help reach renewable energy goals and present for a panel of judges to grade.

Congratulations to the team from Niagara Orleans Career and Technical Center for winning from Niagara County and being the Over-All Envirothon Winners! The team was from Mr. Kapiewicz’s class, students included Summer Dueger, Boylie Fudella, Ian Kruger, Jeremy Taylor, and Daniel Wilksemore.

The winning team from Niagara County and the overall winners of the competition include students from the Niagara Orleans Career and Technical Center – Summer Dueger, Boylie Fudella, Ian Kruger, Jeremy Taylor and Daniel Wilksemore.

Congratulations to the winners from the Medina Chapter FFA for winning Orleans County from Ms. Jurek’s class, students included Tyler Allen, Mason Eick, Madison Farley, Camden Fike, Brody Frye, and Austin Seefeldt.

Three different teams from Niagara Orleans Career and Technical Center won the different categories of Envirothon.  Students included Summer Dueger, Boylie Fudella, Ian Kruger, Jeremy Taylor, Daniel Wilksemore, Alex Brown, Olivia Dunkelberger, Anthony Enzinna, Aiden Flynn, Addison Schultz, Nathan Couturier, Mallary Fiacco, David Gurski, Jordyn Kinne and Adam Yanicki.

The overall county winners will move on to represent their county at the NYS Envirothon later this month. Good Luck to both teams!

A special thank you to this year’s event sponsors NewRoyal Orchards, Poverty Hill Farm, GM, and the NYS Forest Owners Association – Niagara Frontier Chapter for providing breakfast, lunch, goodie bags, awards, and Envirothon shirts for the students.

Exams and proctoring were provided by the Aquarium of Niagara, Mr. Paul Dewey, the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, and both Soil and Water Conservation Districts.  Vic DiGiacomo of the NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee and Ronny Raindrop of the NYS Conservation District Employees Association came to hand out awards to the winners.

The Niagara-Orleans Envirothon is a yearly event for county high school students presented by Niagara County Soil and Water Conservation District and Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District.  Envirothon is an environmental competition on different aspects of natural resources. It gives students hands-on experience and knowledge of the environment to understand how to protect and manage the natural resources around them.

For more information about Envirothon visit www.envirothon.org or www.nysenvirothon.org.  To participate next year please reach out to our offices by calling 716-434-4949 ext. 4 or emailing Katherine.pfeifer@ny.nacdnet.net or the Orleans SWCD at 585-589-5959 or email Guinevere.dillhoff@ny.nacdnet.net.

The students from all 12 teams pose for a group photo at the Bond Lake Park Nature Center.