Montville Team Heads to Envirothon

A Montville High School team is one of 36 from across the state that will be competing on Thursday to test their knowledge of five key areas of environmental science.

The Connecticut Envirothon - in its 20th year - is the largest environmental competition in the state for high school students. It takes place at the 710-acre Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme, according to a press release.

More than 200 high school students will be going head-to-head to show what they know about environmental science. They will stand shoulder deep in soils pits, investigate animal skulls and pelts, cross sections of trees, and invasive plants in the name of furthering their environmental IQ.

Each five-student Envirothon team demonstrates their training and problem-solving skills in four disciplines: aquatic ecology, forestry, soils/land use, and wildlife. Additional preparation for a panel-judged oral presentation on this year’s current issue (salt water estuaries) will play into the final scoring. The teams have been attending workshops for each discipline since October.

Connecticut Envirothon celebrates its primary mission of promoting environmental awareness, knowledge, and active personal stewardship among Connecticut high school students through education and team competition in this 20^th anniversary event.  Objectives of the program include fostering the widespread acceptance of an environmental studies curriculum in high schools, developing students' critical thinking and decision-making skills, and presenting balanced options for management of our natural resources. 

Stay tuned to the Montville Patch for a story and video of the event!