Thursday, February 13, 2025

Jamestown High School Wins Statewide Envirothon Competition

Jamestown High School Envirothon Team

JAMES CITY COUNTY — The Jamestown High School Envirothon team placed first overall in Virginia’s 2024 Dominion Energy Envirothon State Competition, held at Radford University on May 19 and 20.

The Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts administers the competition.

Jamestown competed with teams representing 18 different high schools throughout Virginia to earn the title of state champions.

The Jamestown team will travel to Geneva, New York on July 28 through Aug. 3 to represent Virginia as they compete at the National Conservation Foundation’s International
Envirothon against teams from across the United States, Canada, and China for a chance to earn thousands of dollars in scholarship prizes.

“Envirothon students learn the importance of, and methods for, presenting new ideas to
community leaders and defending their inclusion in community programs,” said Charlie Dubay, a JHS Envirothon Coach since 1997.

The Jamestown High School Envirothon team, supported by the local Colonial SWCD, will be returning to the International competition, where they placed 13th overall, after having won the Virginia title also in 2023.

Envirothon competitions consist of five “in-the-field” test stations — soils, wildlife, aquatics, forestry and a current environmental issue — which challenge teams to answer questions in both written and hands-on formats.

Students on the JHS Envirothon team meet twice a week, after school, during the school year. They study the objectives for their area of expertise and prepare presentations to train their peers. The team also attends multiple trainings sponsored by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts that are held across Virginia, explained Rebecca Elton, a JHS science teacher who has been an Envirothon Coach since 2011.

During an oral presentation, teams present their environmental solution to industry and natural resource professionals who serve as judges.

“These students are learning how to solve real-world problems and then get the opportunity to share their thoughts with experts in the field. It is such a great learning experience!” stated Elton.

The issue for the 2024 Dominion Energy Envirothon was “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future” and teams presented solutions to address a renewable energy scenario for the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

“Protecting the environment and supporting local communities are key components of our mission,” said Hunter A. Applewhite, president of the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. “Envirothon proudly promotes both as these students will become future leaders of environmental sustainability.”

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