New York will host the 2024 National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon, an international environmental and natural resources education competition for high school students. Winning teams from across the United States and countries including Canada, Singapore, and China will travel to this year’s competition, which will be held from July 28 to August 3 at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva. This is the first time ever that New York State has hosted the competition.
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The annual Envirothon competition series is a critical part of environmental and agricultural education in our state and across the globe, and I’m excited that New York will host the final competition this year. With climate change continuing to impact us all, it has never been more inspiring to see passionate young people from around the world preparing to be ambassadors for the environment and our natural resources in the years to come.”
Commissioner Ball also congratulated the student winners of the annual New York State Envirothon Competition, which took place May 22 and 23 at SUNY Cortland. The team from The Mount Academy in Ulster County was named New York State Champion at the long-standing hands-on environmental competition, which challenges students on their knowledge of natural resource science, public speaking, and civic engagement. Red Creek Central School from Wayne County and Skaneateles High School in Onondaga County were awarded second and third place.
The winning team from The Mount Academy will represent New York at the International NCF-Envirothon this summer in Geneva. Each member of the team received a scholarship, and the team will compete against other top teams from the United States, China, Singapore, and Canada.
The NCF-Envirothon competition is a series of field station tests in the areas of soils/land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and an emerging environmental issue. Throughout the week-long competition, students will demonstrate their knowledge of these areas through written tests and interactive stations featuring Geneva’s natural resources. The teams will also prepare oral presentations on this year’s current issue, “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.”
In the New York State Envirothon, 41 teams from across New York State competed in environmental science and natural resource management written and oral tests during the two-day competition. The teams, made up of five students from 9th to 12th grades, qualified at the regional or local level to receive invitations to the state competition.
Conservation District Employees’ Association President Caitlin Stewart said, “The New York State Envirothon brings together the best and brightest high school students for an outdoor competition focused on natural resources. They gave oral presentations on the 2024 topic Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future, then took tough exams in wildlife, aquatics ecology, forestry, current issue, and soils. I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with many students, and I can say with confidence that our natural resources are in good hands with the future stewards of our world.”
The New York State Envirothon program is funded from contributions and grants from individuals, businesses, and organizations. Contributions are tax deductible through the New York State Environmental Education Foundation, and a portion of all contributions go towards the program. Additional information about the program and sponsorship opportunities can be found at www.nysenvirothon.net.
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