Woodland Park High School Marks a Win at the 2017 Colorado Envirothon Competition

2017 CO Envirothon Winners

Woodland Park High School’s AP Environmental Science team once again took first place honors at the 2017 Colorado Envirothon Competition held on April 25 and 26, in Aurora, CO! This year’s event took place at the Arapahoe County Fair Grounds in Aurora, with ten teams participating who came from all over Colorado, to compete in the Colorado Envirothon’s annual natural resource science based contest. The second place team was another team from Woodland Park High School in Teller County; and, the third place team was from Greeley West High School in Greeley.

The Colorado Envirothon committee would like to thank all of the conservation districts, financial sponsors, contest volunteers, instructors, and judges, for their contributions at making the 2017 COE event such a success!

The winning team members from Woodland Park High School were: MacKenzie Morrison, Angelica Osuch, Hunter Stone, Cameron Vela, and Laura Wagner. Mr. Dan Ganoza is Woodland Park High School’s AP Environmental Science teacher and acted as the team’s advisor and coach. Assisting him was Rose Banzhaf.  These Colorado students and their coaches will be heading to the international NCF Envirothon competition in Emmitsburg, Maryland this summer, in July.

Other Colorado schools, that made the trip to Aurora for the 2017 contest, were from Center, Craig, Del Norte, Greeley, Kremmling, San Luis, Saguache, and Woodland Park.

During the two day competition, all students are tested in a total of five areas of natural resource science content, including: aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and soils. Teams also have to make an oral presentation on solving a current natural resource issue problem, with this year’s topic being “Agriculture Soil and Water Conservation Stewardship”. Team work and critical thinking are the basis for a successful outcome at this fun and educational contest.

COE thanks all of this year’s participants and their school sponsors. The date and location of the 2018 Colorado Envirothon competition will be announced in the coming months. More information about the Colorado Envirothon program can be obtained from the website at www.coloenvirothon.com.