ARIZONA AGRIBUSINESS AND EQUINE CENTER HIGH SCHOOL WINS 2013 ARIZONA ENVIROTHON
A team of charter high school students met an ongoing western challenge – sustainable rangeland management – to capture the 2013 Arizona Envirothon championship Saturday at the Desert Outdoor Center at Lake Pleasant north of Peoria, Ariz. The five-member team from Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center High School – Paradise Valley will compete against other state and provincial champions for the North American Envirothon championship in August.
Twelve Arizona teams demonstrated their expertise in field science skills and developed a rangeland management plan that sought to retain tradition livestock uses while addressing off-road vehicle use, range fragmentation and development for Sonoran Desert land in the Lake Pleasant area.
The five-student teams tested their environmental field skills at Black Canyon Heritage Park and Lake Pleasant Desert Outdoor Center on April 19-20. Other schools competing were from Phoenix (Ariz Agribusiness and Equine Center; Center for Research in Engineering, Science & Technology), Buckeye (Youngker HS), Tucson (University HS), Vail (Cienega HS), Sierra Vista (Berean Academy) and Prescott (Tri-City College Prep).
Teams were tested in water quality assessment, hydrology, forest management, wildlife identification, ecology, agriculture, soil sciences and waste management, at ponds and rangeland sites along the Agua Fria River.
“Envirothon is one of the most rewarding programs that I have the privilege to work on,” said Rodney Held, Arizona Envirothon Executive Committee Chairman. “This year, three new schools competed and some of our long-time schools are now fielding two or three teams. It’s encouraging to see that the environment continues to be a concern to young people and that their environmental understanding and problem solving skills are increasing.”
Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center students Rebekah Smith (senior), Elizabeth Joffre, Garrett Notte, Emile Stubbert (juniors) and Caleb Taylor (sophomore) and coach Shelly Petersen will receive an expense-paid trip to represent Arizona against other state and Canadian provincial champions at the North American Canon Envirothon at Montana State University this summer.
Even though winning team captain Rebekka Smith plans a career as a high school English teacher, her Envirothon experience made her family more aware of their environmental responsibility and led her to “want to stay involved and volunteer with the environmental community.”
Second place over-all went to another Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center team and Tri-City College Prep from Prescott, Ariz. placed third.
Award winners for ecostation field testing skills were:
Soils & Land Use – 1st and 2nd AAEC teams, 3rd Tri-City College Prep
Aquatic Ecology – 1st Center for Research in Engineering, Science & Technology, 2nd Cienega High School and AAEC (tied), 3rd AAEC
Wildlife & Forestry – 1st and 3rd AAEC teams, 2nd Tri-City College Prep
Spirit of Envirothon 2013 – Tri-City College Prep
2013 ARIZONA ENVIROTHON COMPETITION
Date: April 19-20, 2013
Location: Desert Outdoor Center at Lake Pleasant, AZ
Join us for two days in nature that you’ll never forget!
The Arizona Envirothon is Arizona’s premier environmental science competition for high school students. It encourages students to explore our state’s natural resources in a fun, interactive way.
Every spring, students in grades 9 – 12 form teams from across the state to compete in an unforgettable outdoor competition, the Arizona Envirothon. The Envirothon challenges students to apply their knowledge, critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities to natural resource management scenarios.
Next spring, the Arizona Envirothon will host a 2-day competition in the great outdoors, and we invite YOU to participate! The goal of this program is to help students develop the skills necessary to manage our state’s resources in a sustainable manner.
Student participants will:
- Dive into facts about Arizona’s waterways
- Dig into our diverse soils
- Get untamed over our wildlife
- Grow in knowledge about our forests
Benefits to Students:
- State Champion team is provided an all expense paid trip to represent Arizona at the North American Envirothon to compete nationally for college scholarships
- Other awards and prizes for top scoring teams
- Career development opportunities
- Build lasting friendships
- Experience nature
- Expand your knowledge of conservation, stewardship and sustainability
Benefits to Teachers:
- Envirothon is aligned with the state’s science and social studies standards
- Coaching a team is a rewarding experience
For more information, contact: Rodney Held, Chair
Arizona Envirothon
P.O. Box 1248
Phoenix, AZ 85001
602.771.8521
