St. Albert students will head to Athabasca this weekend to test their ecological might in the international challenge known as the Envirothon.
Six Paul Kane High School students will travel to the Long Lake Outdoor Education Centre near Athabasca this Sunday to take part in the Alberta Envirothon, a three-day event meant to test one's environmental knowledge. Once there, they'll have to face down seven other Alberta teams to win scholarships and a spot at the Canon Envirothon — the biggest high-school environmental education competition in North America.
It's another way for students to get out of the square, rectangular world of the classroom and into where they were meant to be, says team member Shayna Harris — the outdoors. "People need to spend more time outdoors and getting into the environment, otherwise we're not going to care enough about it to want to fix it."
Eco-marathon
The Envirothon is a continent-wide competition that started in Pennsylvania in 1979, according to the event's website. About 500,000 students participate in it each year.
Alberta has participated since about 1998, says Blaine Burke, chair of the Alberta Envirothon, and has eight teams ready for this year's event. This is the first time that St. Albert has fielded a team.
Team members learn about aquatics, forestry, land use and wildlife, Burke says, plus a fifth special topic that varies each year. This year, it's fresh and saltwater estuaries — areas where freshwater and saltwater mix to create a unique ecosystem. It's a tough topic for landlocked Alberta, he notes, as you can't get much experience with these estuaries when you're not on the coast.
The contest has students learn lessons from experts in the field and then apply their knowledge in written and practical tests, he continues. They may have to identify an animal from its skull, for example, or determine the age and identity of a tree. They will also have to do an oral presentation on a typical conservation problem like forest preservation.
This takes considerable preparation, says Derek Dodd, a member of the Sexsmith Secondary School team that went to the finals last year, with most teams practicing a year in advance. American teams really get into it, he adds, as there are often 300 teams competing per state.
"They'll meet up every day and study for six hours per day once summer hits."
Team St. Albert
Candice Jwaszko, coach of the Paul Kane team, says she learned of the Envirothon at a conference and pitched it to the school's social justice and environment club. They loved the idea and dove right in.
The contest gives students some hands-on environmental skills, Jwaszko says. "We'll be outside working with forestry people and people in the industry."
Team member Zoraa Lutas says the group has helped her meet people who share her interests. "It's very cool to know there are other people out there like you who want to make a change."
It's the same for teammate Laura Duguay. "The environment is really important, and we're not doing enough to protect our resources."
The winners of the Alberta Envirothon will move onto the finals in Sackville, N.B. this July 24, Burke says, where they will face off against about 54 other teams.
Dodd had some simple advice for Team Paul Kane: "Study hard, learn as much as you can, and practice your public speaking."
This will be a memorable experience no matter what happens, Duguay says. "I don't know if I'll remember failing a math test, but I know I'll remember Envirothon."
For more on the Envirothon, contact Burke at 780-538-6219.
