2010 Caro High School Evnirothon Team

The Caro High School Envirothon Team, led by teacher Sharon Corrion, participated in this year's state competition. The team chose a project which involved monitoring Emerald Ash Borer damage along trails in the Caro Exchange Club Forest, located along M-24 directly behind the Tuscola County Recycling Center. The competition also included field testing in six other environmental science categories. These include Forestry, Aquatics, Wildlife, Soils/Geology, Energy and Agriculture.

Team EAB (Caro) placed second in Wildlife, third in Forestry and 5th in their Community Project, and placed high enough in all of the other categories for an overall 5th placement in state competition. Congratulations to all of the students for this excellent accomplishment.

The Caro High 2010 Envirothon teams, “Envirotrons” & “Mighty Monarchs”, placed first and second respectively at their regional competition in Lapeer on March 22^nd, qualifying them to compete at the State competition held at the Leelanau Outdoor Center, May 13^th & 14^th.   The “Envirotrons” earned second place for their Community Outreach Project, tied for third in Aquatic Ecology and placed sixth overall in the State and the “Mighty Monarchs” earned sixth place for their Community Outreach Project and thirteenth overall.

The Michigan Envirothon program is an exciting and challenging way for high school students, and their adult advisors, to learn about natural resources. The program is designed to foster critical thinking, wise stewardship and community involvement. The purpose of Envirothon is to provide environmental education to high school students, their team advisors, and their communities, throughout the state of Michigan.

Competing as the “Envirotrons” team were Landen Tetil, Seth Kratz, Logan Kausch, Jacob Cullen and Tim Carpenter.  The “Mighty Monarchs” team consisted of Sarita Bills, Troy Kausch, Kent Schriber, Amanda Wheeler, and Taylor Cullen.  Alternates Haley Schriber, Gabe Raymer, Greg Pelletier and Tessa Gawrylowicz also worked with the teams throughout the year. The teams studied seven different subject areas, including: Agriculture, Aquatic Ecology, Energy, Forestry, Soils/Geology, Wildlife, and the 2010 Environmental Issue, protection of groundwater.

The teams were also required to complete a written report and an oral presentation, scored by a panel of judges, for their Community Outreach Project as part of the competition.  The “Envirotrons” project was the planning and construction of a rain garden in the stormwater retention basin within the bus loop on the Caro Campus.  The “Mighty Monarchs” project was the designing and construction of a butterfly garden along the front of the 300 wing of Caro High School.  The teams have also completed applications to certify these areas as wildlife friendly spaces through the National Wildlife Federation’s Habitat Certification Program.

We would like to thank all those who have supported our program this year.  Special thanks to the Tuscola Conservation District for providing funding for our registration, room and board at the State Competition and the donation of seeds and plants for the gardens, to Caro Schools for assisting with transportation to the events, to Mr. Steve Schaub, Mr. Bill Pouliot, Mrs. Karen Phillips, Mrs. Helena Montei, and Mr. David Wheeler, for their guidance, direction and donations of materials and time, and to Brinkman Excavating, Kratz Farm, and Abele’s Greenhouse for donations of materials. Thanks to Dave DeSimpelare of J-Land Farms for his educational presentation to the team members regarding sustainable agriculture practices related to organic farming.  We are thankful to have such widespread support for our team and for our long-term goal of being stewards of the environment.

For more infomation, or to inquire about starting a team at your high school, contact the Tuscola County Conservation District Education Coordinator Steve Schaub at 989-673-8174 Ext. 3 or StevenJ.Schaub@mi.nacdnet.net