When Leslie Ellis found out Springfield Middle School wasn't going to have a Science Olympiad team this school year, she decided to join the school's new Envirothon team because she enjoys science.
Leslie and her team participated in a mock Envirothon Thursday at Bridgestone Firestone's Freedom Wildlife Habitat Refuge as a means of preparing for regional competition March 14 in Cary. About 135 students from schools across Wilson County participated.
Schools with Envirothon teams this year are Toisnot, Elm City, Forest Hills and Springfield middle schools along with Greenfield School. Envirothon is the largest environmental education competition available for middle and high school students.
During the mock competition, students' knowledge of aquatics, soil, forestry and wildlife were measured during timed tests, which the students could take as a team. In the wildlife section, for example, students had to identify examples of animal tracks. Each member of a team concentrates on learning what they can about one specific area. Leslie, for example, concentrated on soil. Five students are on each team. Schools can have more than one team.
This is the first year Wilson County has had teams from public schools participate in Envirothon, said Ricky Hayes of the Wilson County Soil and Water Conservation office. Previously, home-school students from Wilson County have fielded teams for the competition.
Hayes said teams receive a manual at the start of the school year that explains the competition and things they need to learn. At the regional competition, Hayes said students will do more hands-on activities than they did on Thursday.
The regional competition will be for Area 4. Area 4 includes teams from 11 surrounding counties. The top seven teams will earn the right to advance to the state competition. Next year, the Area 4 regional event will be held in Wilson at the Bridgestone Firestone's refuge.
Thursday's chilly temperatures meant the students spent most of the day bundled up in coats and blankets as they moved from station to station. Many lugged chairs while others stood huddled in circles or found a space to sit on the ground.
Grey Lowery from Springfield Middle said it was cold as he waited for the forestry test to start. Forestry is Grey's area of expertise. Grey said in addition to studying for the regional competition, his team has also participated in workshops.
Questions on the forestry test covered topics such as growth rings on trees and the different parts of trees.
Baker Bedgood and her teammates from Greenfield School took a practice test on Wednesday to see if they were ready for Thursday's event. Baker said she feels pretty confident about how her team did on identifying animal tracks Thursday.
David Mahan, area business manager for Bridgestone Firestone, said he is happy to see more schools and community groups using the company's habitat refuge. The refuge was opened two years ago.
Mahan said Scouts frequently use the area and that two troops teamed up with Bridgestone Firestone employees last weekend to finish cutting and clearing the last leg of the new section of trails at the facility.
creech@wilsontimes.com | 265-7822