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 housing 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 AZ Envirothon Photo Gallery!

Environmental Competition for Arizona High Schools April 8-9 at Roosevelt Lake

Months of preparation are drawing to a close and high school students from across Arizona are adding finishing touches to their environmental acumen before competing against other schools.  Teams from Vail, Tucson, Phoenix, Prescott and Yuma are scrambling outside and in laboratories testing water, identifying plants and animals, evaluating soils, studying biodiversity and honing presentation skills in hope of becoming the 2011 Arizona Envirothon champions.

Five-member teams of high school students will camp and participate in the two-day competition at Roosevelt Lake on April 8-9, 2011.  Teams will be tested on field and problem solving skills in water quality assessment, hydrology, forest management, wildlife identification and ecology, agriculture, soil sciences, and waste management.  They will apply their knowledge of the bi-national 2011 feature topic – Salt and Fresh Water Estuaries – at Roosevelt Lake’s freshwater deltas.  The winning team 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.

Team preparation and the competition are active and visual events.  News media are invited to contact team coaches in their area to cover event preparation.

The competition at Roosevelt Lake is also open to news media.  Please contact Jeannette Fish (602-703-7808) for directions and to make arrangements to cover the competition.  Competition results will be available April 9 and will be distributed in a news release April 11.

Note to Editors:  Photo

support is available by contacting Jeff Humphrey (602-242-0210 x222) or visiting

http://azenvirothon.org/gallery.

University High School Wins 2010 Arizona Envirothon

Congratulations to University High School for having the top two teams at the 2010 Arizona Envirothon. The Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center of Phoenix also made the finals, placing third.

Photo Gallery

• Forestry
• Wildlife
• Aquatics
• Soils
• and a current environmental issue.

The winning team from the Arizona Envirothon goes on to the Canon Envirothon competition, where students can win college scholarships and numerous Canon products. Envirothon helps students become more involved in conserving our natural resources, thus helping to preserve our environment in the future.