ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING COMPETITION
March 16, 2010 is the date of the Envirothon competition for the high school teams from the six counties of Northwest Illinois that form the AISWCD Land Use Council One (LUC): Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, Ogle, Whiteside, and Lee. The Envirothon is a fun, outdoor, team-based program designed to help students better understand their environment through exploration of ecology, natural resource management, and current environmental issues.
The LUC One competition is supported at the Gold Level by Pheasants Forever, National Wild Turkey Federation, CGH Medical Center, KSB Hospital, Stephenson and Ogle Farm Bureaus, and Blackhawk Hills RC&D. Also providing support at the Silver Level are Community State Bank, Conservation Guardians of Northwest Illinois, Stephenson Service Company, and Wahl Clipper.
At Highland College, more than 30 teams from LUC One high schools will compete. Five-member teams have been studying from resource materials and learning with hands-on field experiences focused around five major topic: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and a current environmental issue. A volunteer advisor leads students in each school. Students usually meet as an extra-curricular activity from late autumn until spring to develop their knowledge of ecology and natural resources management and to practice their environmental problem-solving skills in preparation for the Envirothon competition.
During the event, students hear short presentations by experts on each topic and take a team test. Regarding the current issue, each team performs an oral presentation for judging – this year’s topic is “Protecting of Groundwater Through Urban, Agricultural, and Environmental Planning.” Points are awarded and one team becomes the winner in the for the LUC Envirothon 2010.
Under the sponsorship of the Association of Illinois SWCDs (AISWCD), Illinois local SWCDs and LUCs, inconjuction with partnership organizations and educators, organize local competitions reaching about 1,800 students. The winning teams from each of the 16 LUCs will particpate in the Illinois State competition to be held May 13-14 at Allerton Park, Monticello, Illinois. Last year’s Illinois winning team was from Woodstock High School, Mc Henry County. Winners from state competitions continue on to the Canon Envirothon for the United States and Canada, to be held this year on August 1-6 at California State University at Fresno. The Canon Envirothon is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization established to coordinate the delivery of an environmental education program for high school students throughout North America.
            The mission of the Envirothon is worthy of our support: enhancing critical thinking and problem solving skills; expanding knowledge concerning current environmental issues; informing those who will become tomorrow’s leaders, workers, and consumers; and exposing students to careers in environmental science and natural resources.
            We can help with this mission by passing along our interest, knowledge, and concerns about the environment to every young person in our lives. That’s how the conservation effort will have a future.

Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District, an equal opportunity provider and employer, 03/10/10 (for publication on 03/13/10 in the Journal-Standard, Freeport, Illinois) Della can be reached at info@stephensonswcd.org