Soil & Water Conservation Program
Missouri Envirothon
The Missouri Envirothon is a problem-solving, natural resource education program for high school students. In the field, teams of students are challenged to hone critical thinking skills and work as a team. Students answer written questions and conduct hands-on investigation of environmental issues in five categories:
- Soils/land use.
- Aquatic ecology.
- Forestry.
- Wildlife.
- Current environmental issues.
In addition to a written test, the teams also present an oral presentation solving a specific natural resource issue.
The Missouri Envirothon stimulates, reinforces and enhances students' interest in the environment and our state's natural resources. The concept was created by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts as an outdoor hands-on competition. From "Environmental Olympics," the concept expanded to other states; and when the national competition was added in 1988, the name was changed to Envirothon.
The continuing support of the program reflects the participation and support of the state conservation district associations and cooperating state and federal resource agencies.
Reference materials for students and teachers are available through local soil and water conservation districts. Conservation districts with cooperating agencies, educators, community and interest groups conduct regional competitions. The top three teams at the regional competitions advance to the state competition, usually held in early May. The winning team represents Missouri at the Canon Envirothon.
2010 Missouri Envirothon
Pembroke Hill High School Wins 2010 Missouri Envirothon
Pembroke Hill High School took the top spot in the 2010 Missouri Envirothon. The 19-team competition took place on April 13 at the Runge Conservation Nature Center in Jefferson City.
Students competed at five different outdoor testing stations-- aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife and the 2010 current conservation issue, Protection of Groundwater Through Urban, Agricultural and Environmental Planning. Test stations required the five-student teams to answer a variety of both hands-on and written natural resource questions. Each team also presented an oral presentation to a panel of judges.
The top three teams from each of Missouri's seven regional competitions competed at the state Envirothon. View the results. The winning team will go on to compete in the 2010 Canon Envirothon, North America's largest high school environmental competition, in Fresno, Calif.
To learn more about the Missouri Envirothon, including previous team rankings and regulations, visit the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation District's Envirothon website or contact the Soil and Water Conservation Program at 573-751-4932. Local soil and water conservation districts, in conjunction with cooperating agencies and educators, organize and run local Envirothon competitions.
In 1998, Missouri held its first state Envirothon. The Envirothon was started in 1979 by three Pennsylvania soil and water conservation districts. By 1988, the idea had caught on and the first national contest was held. By 2009, the program attracted participation from 52 states and Canada.