- First Place Team – AAEC Paradise Valley: Coaches James Lozano and Shelly Petersen with students Maggie Hanley, Brandon Reiser, Yorke McGillivray, Bethany Patton, and Brittney Hensley.
ARIZONA AGRIBUSINESS AND EQUINE CENTER HIGH SCHOOL WINS 2012 ARIZONA ENVIROTHON!
A team of charter high school students who focused on using buffer zones to prevent water pollution for a hypothetical future hotsing development captured the 2012 Arizona Envirothon championship Saturday at Horseshoe Ranch near Cordes Junction, Ariz. The team from Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center High School – Paradise Valley will compete against other state and provincial champions for the Canon Envirothon championship in July.
Twelve Arizona teams demonstrated their expertise in field science skills and problem solving to address how best to develop an area while minimizing nonpoint source pollution (pollutants that originate from multiple sources, but combined can have an effect of the environment, including humans).
The five-student teams tested their environmental field skills on Earth Day at Horseshoe Ranch State Wildlife Area along the Agua Fria River on April 20-21. Other schools competing were from Glendale (Grace Christian Home Schoolers), Buckeye (Youngker HS), Tucson (University HS and Ironwood Ridge HS), Vail (Cienega HS), and Prescott (Tri-City College Prep).
Teams tested their skills in water quality assessment, hydrology, forest management, wildlife identification, ecology, agriculture, soil sciences, and waste management at 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. “Over the past few years I have seen a tremendous improvement in the knowledge and skills that all students are bringing to the competition. This is especially exciting, as it indicates that Envirothon coaches are spending more time teaching about natural resources and preparing their students to deal with real world issues.”
The Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center students (Brittney Hensley, Bethany Patton, Brandon Reiser, Maggie Hanley and Yorke McGillivray) and coach Shelly Petersen will receive an expense-paid trip to represent Arizona against other state and Canadian provincial champions at the Canon Envirothon in July at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
Second place went to another Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center team and Cienega High School from Vail, Ariz. placed third.
Award winners for ecostation field testing skills were:
Soils & Land Use – 1st and 3rd AAEC teams, 2nd University High
Aquatic Ecology – AAEC, 2nd University High, 3rd Ironwood Ridge High
Wildlife & Forestry – 1st and 2nd AAEC teams, 3rd Cienega High
Rookie Team of 2012 – Ironwood Ridge High
Check out the 2012 Arizona Envirothon Photo Gallery!
2012 ARIZONA ENVIROTHON COMPETITION
Student texturizing soils at the 2011 Arizona Envirothon!
Date: April 20-21, 2012
Location: Horseshoe Ranch Wildlife Area, near Cordes Junction, AZ
The 2012 current issue topic is Non-point Source Pollution/Low Impact Development. For more information and study materials please visit our resources page.
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 Canon 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
Flyer for print – 2012 Arizona Envirothon
TUCSON’S UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL WINS 2011 ARIZONA ENVIROTHON
From left to right: Thomas Tobin (Coach), Conrad Hom, Chris Chan, Harmony Zhang, Lone Locher, and Travis Boswell
A team of five University High School students has captured the Arizona Envirothon championship. The five-student team tested their environmental field skills against eight other Arizona teams at Roosevelt Lake on April 8. The University High students and coach Tom Tobin will receive an expense-paid trip to represent Arizona against other state and Canadian provincial champions at the Canon Envirothon in July at Mt. Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.
Second place honors went to Cienega High School from Vail, Ariz. and Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center from Paradise Valley placed third. Teams from Phoenix, Prescott (Tri-City Preparatory) and Yuma Homeschoolers also participated.
Teams tested their skills in water quality assessment, hydrology, forest management, wildlife identification, ecology, agriculture, soil sciences, and waste management from the shore of a freshwater inlet and peninsula at Roosevelt Lake.
All teams had prepared for a two-day competition that typically includes developing solutions to a real-world environmental challenge and presenting them to a panel of judges. However, the completion was truncated at the conclusion of the field skills testing day due to the threat of a federal government shutdown.
Program Chair, Rodney Held noted that he was very impressed with the skills that students demonstrated at the field testing sites. He was equally impressed with the level of maturity that the students demonstrated in accepting the disappointment of the competition being cut short.
“These students dedicated months of preparing for the competition, yet even after the oral presentation portion of the event was canceled, many of the teams are still committed to developing their presentations regarding the Roosevelt Lake freshwater estuary management scenario they would have been challenged with addressing. I look forward to seeing their presentations,” said Held.
The New Brunswick-bound University High School students – Conrad Hom, Chris Chan, Travis Boswell, Harmony Zhang and Ione Locher are coached by Tom Tobin. The team will continue its preparation sessions for the Canon Envirothon, focusing on both salt- and freshwater estuaries.
Click here to view photo gallery!
