WEST HARTFORD -- Some Connecticut high school students may not be interested in learning about the natural world around them, but those from Litchfield High School in Litchfield were extremely enthusiastic and well-informed.

Placing first in the Connecticut Envirothon, held May 22, the students competed against 37 other teams to earn the chance to represent Connecticut at the National Envirothon competition this summer in Massachusetts. Team members applied their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to written and hands-on tests on the grounds of the Metropolitan District Commission Water Treatment Facility in West Hartford. They won the competition with a score of 428.5 points out of 500. The five team members, plus alternates, had spent nearly a year studying Forestry, Wildlife, Aquatics, Soils, and Invasive Species with advice and guidance from teacher John Markelon.

E.O. Smith High School in Storrs won second place, and Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury earned third place.

Standing waist-deep in a soil pit examining soil layers, determining which animal tracks belong to what critter, and figuring out what pest damaged a stand of trees in the forest were just a few of the challenges offered in the competition.

“These kids really knew their stuff,” said Jeff Folger, Chair of the Envirothon Steering Committee. "They are capable of learning at levels far beyond their high school years."

The program, which was started in 1992 by the state’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts, is directed by an all-volunteer steering committee, representing a host of different public and private agencies. The Envirothon has financial support from corporate, public, and private sources. More than 60 volunteers helped in ensuring that the competition day was a success.

The mission of the Connecticut Envirothon is to promote environmental awareness, knowledge, and active personal stewardship among Connecticut high school students through education and team competition. Specific objectives of the program include fostering the widespread acceptance of an environmental studies curriculum in high schools, developing student’s critical thinking and decision-making skills, and presenting balanced options for management of our natural resources.

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