ContactIf you are interested in becoming involved with the Venango County Envirothon, being a sponsor for the annual event, or would like more information, please contact: Bailey Kozalla Envirothon Coordinator (814) 676-2832 ext. 2 [email protected] |
What is Envirothon?
The Envirothon is a program designed to cultivate a desire to learn more about our natural environment through competitive events. The program emphasizes the importance of environmental sensitivity while stressing a need to achieve a social, ecological, and economic balance. The goal is to not only teach environmental facts and realities, but also to instill an understanding of the ecological and community factors that are involved in environmental decisions and actions. Through the learning objectives of awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and application, students become more environmentally-aware and action-oriented adults.
Students from throughout Venango County test their skills in the stations of forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology, soils & land use, and a current environmental issue at the annual Venango County Envirothon competition. They spend the weeks and months leading up to the event studying these topics in hopes of being crowned champion. The winning team moves on to the state-level PA Envirothon competition to represent Venango County. There, they compete for various prizes and scholarships against other county winners. |
Who is Eligible?Any school located within Venango County is eligible to participate in the annual Envirothon competition. Homeschool or cyber school students can also form teams. Each school can send up to three teams of five members, with a minimum of three members per team. Please note: You must have 5 members on a team in order to compete at the state-level Envirothon. This 5-member team must be from the same educational unit and must have competed in the county competition. Three member teams are not eligible to move on to the state competition. These students must be enrolled in grades 9 – 12. Each school must have an advisor that serves as the point of contact for their teams. Often times the advisor is a science teacher, but not always! The advisor can be any non-student adult (20 years or older) that represents the school. They help to recruit students for their team(s) and help them study throughout the year in preparation for the Envirothon competition.
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What is the Event Like?
There are five areas of study in the Envirothon. They include: Forestry, Wildlife, Aquatic Ecology, Soils & Land Use, and the Current Issue. This year’s current issue is “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.” The resources and information to reference for each station is located on the PA Envirothon website under “station training.” In order to perform well at the Envirothon, it is imperative to learn the materials and prepare well in advance. It is at each team’s discretion to decide how they will prepare for the competition. Some teams assign each member a topic to “specialize” in, while others study each station as a group. Using either method is permissible. The Venango Conservation District coordinates the annual competition - we hold a "training day" one month in advance of "testing day" each spring. We crown the first, second, and third place winners (along with winners of each station), and the first place team has the opportunity to advance to the state Envirothon competition held each year in May.
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2024 Venango County EnvirothonThis year, we again plan to hold the Venango County Envirothon at Two Mile Run County Park on Friday, April 19, 2024. The event will be located at the Nature Lodge (park office) at 471 Beach Road, Franklin, PA 16323 (41.47541, -79.76834). Please plan to arrive at the park by 9:00am for registration. The first testing station will begin at 9:30am. Students will rotate throughout the five testing stations located at the surrounding pavilions for 30 minutes each. After lunch, we will announce the winners of each station and the overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams. The day will conclude around 1:30pm. It is very important to dress for the weather! The event will be held rain or shine, so please be prepared for variable weather conditions that could include rain, snow, and muddy ground.
We will also be offering an “Envirothon Training Day” at Two Mile Run County Park on Friday, March 22, 2024. Students will cycle through stations in the morning, much like the cycle at the Envirothon. Registration is now open through March 1, 2024! Advisors, please see the important forms and resources below and contact Bailey Kozalla (Envirothon Coordinator) if you have any questions or to submit your registration. Updated 2024 study resources can be found on the PA Envirothon website. This year's current issue topic is "Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future."
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Study ResourcesWhen studying for the Envirothon, students should review all of the Essential Topics, Learning Objectives, and Reference Material listed under each station topic on the PA Envirothon website. In addition to this information, there are other resources available to assist students in their preparation for testing. See below:
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Thank you to our Partners!
Each year, employees from these agencies help to make the Venango County Envirothon possible! From planning and hosting the event to helping students study for each station, their assistance helps to ensure a fun and educational day. Thank you for helping us educate the next generation of environmental stewards.
