Shady Spring Biology Club Wins W.Va. Envirothon

CHARLESTON, W.VA. - The Shady Spring Biology Club triumphed for first place at the 2007 West Virginia Envirothon. Each team member won a $1,000 scholarship for a total of $5,000 sponsored by Weyerhaeuser Company. Weyerhaeuser Company is one of the original sponsors of the competition.

This team also will win the privilege of representing West Virginia at the national event, the Canon Envirothon at Hobart & William Smith Colleges, New York.

The Doddridge County Gold team prevailed for second place to share a $3,750 scholarship sponsored by Dominion Power.

Ripley Environmental Science Team #1 took third place and a shared $2,500 scholarship sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the West Virginia Conservation Agency 319 Clean Water Program.

The Tygarts Valley High School Bulldogs Red Team won fourth place and a shared $1,250 scholarship sponsored by Dominion Power.

The Liberty Future Farmers of America Blue Team, earned fifth place and a shared $500 scholarship sponsored by FOLA Coal Company and the Bank of Gassaway. The Liberty Blue Team also was the top scoring FFA team of the competition.

The annual Envirothon was a competition for students in grades 9 through 12 in which they face hands-on challenges testing their natural resource knowledge, skills and problem-solving abilities. Each test was conducted outdoors, allowing the students a chance to work and learn in a real-world setting, guided by environmental professionals.

The testing topics were aquatics, soil, wildlife, forestry and the current environmental issue, alternative and sustainable energy. This year, all teams gave brief presentations based on their response to a hypothetical scenario they researched about the use of alternative and renewable technologies to supply the electric needs of Canaan Valley Resort. After the testing and the brief presentations, the five teams with the highest scores compete for first place by giving a full presentation on the current topic.

The West Virginia Envirothon Committee is a cooperative effort of the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts, West Virginia Conservation Agency, West Virginia Conservation Districts, West Virginia Department of Education, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia Department of Agriculture, West Virginia Division of Forestry, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, West Virginia Forestry Association and West Virginia University Extension Service.