by Emily Moss
With the growing concerns of pollution, global warming, and resource depletion facing future generations, the study of environmental science has become increasingly relevant to today’s youth.
Many young adults are passionate about “going green” by protecting wildlife and learning about clean energy solutions. Very few students, however, are as knowledgeable on environmental issues as the members of this school’s Envirothon team, a division of Science Team devoted to studying ecology.
Each year, members of the team compete in the Massachusetts Envirothon, a competition that tests students on their knowledge of forestry, wildlife, water, and soils, as well as one “current issue” that varies from year to year.
This year’s competition took place at a farm in Leominster, Mass. May 15, and this school’s team won the competition for the third time in a row against 30 other schools.
Members of each team conducted research on this year’s “current issue,” sustainable agriculture, and how it applied to their community, according to senior Eliana Gevelber, the captain of the Envirothon team.
“Our team interviewed people such as the manager of the Newton Community Farm, backyard gardeners, and several restaurant owners who use local food in their dishes,” said Gevelber.
Gevelber added that the team had been preparing for this competition since October, and that she had made a “lecture schedule” early that month in order to plan each meeting. Team members then signed up to research and present information regarding specific topics “within the scope of what the competition tests us on,” said Gevelber.
According to Gevelber, winning this competition would normally allow the team to advance to the North American Nationals, as they had in previous years, but the national competition was canceled this year due to a lack of funding.
Members of the Envirothon team and other divisions of Science Team will, however, participate in two competitions over the summer, according to Gevelber.