With the help of local sponsors and volunteers, Kathy LaMartina, senior water resource manager for the South Florida Water Management District at the Martin/St. Lucie Service Center, is chair of this year's regional Envirothon competition. For the first time, the competition will be held at the Botanical Gardens on the campus of Florida Technology Institute in Brevard County. The regional competition for the Indian River Lagoon Envirothon, North America's largest environmental education program and contest for high school students, is on Friday, February 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Up to 175 students from high schools and middle schools in Brevard, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties are expected to participate.
Teams from John Carroll High School, Port St. Lucie High School and North Port Middle School in St. Lucie County and teams from Jensen Beach and South Fork High Schools in Martin County will compete for the opportunity to go to the Florida State competition. The winning teams from each county will advance to the Florida State competition at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound on April 14th. The Florida State winner will go to the North American contest in Geneva, New York this summer.
"This event is a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their talents as well as prepare themselves for a career in science," said LaMartina. "The South Florida Water Management District enjoys working with these students obviously hoping to cultivate future stewards of the environment."
Student teams will answer questions at stations located on the botanical garden trail. Questions are in five resource categories: forestry, soils, water, wildlife and the Indian River Lagoon. Each High School team will give a presentation on the special topic of "Alternative/Renewable Energy."
Last year, St. Lucie County's John Carroll High School Envirothon Team of Kyle Collins, Amber Enns, Andrew Irizarry, Suzie Irizarry and Tommy Kiger placed first in the state competition and went on to place 13th in North America competing against 52 other teams from the United States and Canada.
"Our environment is facing ever-increasing pressures. Not only are our natural resources disappearing, but we also need to utilize those that we have more efficiently. The Envirothon brings these concerns to the surface," said Beau Roberts, science teacher at John Carroll High School. "It is my desire to motivate and inspire my students to excel in the many disciplines involving the environment. With the help of the outstanding students who participate in this competition, the future status of our environment is looking brighter."
According to Mr. Roberts, former John Carroll valedictorian, Julie Driscoll, and current John Carroll valedictorian, Susie Irizarry, both have chosen environmental fields of study - due in part to their involvement with the Envirothon.
For more information about Envirothon or to become a sponsor of the event, contact Kathy LaMartina, regional Envirothon chair at the SFWMD Martin/St. Lucie Service Center at (800) 250-4100.