Fulton Team Nearly Sweeps 34th Annual Envirothon

OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District (OCSWCD) held its annual Oswego County Envirothon at Selkirk Shores State Park in Pulaski. Seven student teams from six schools across the county participated in the May 7 competition.

This year’s overall winners were G. Ray Bodley High School in Fulton, which placed in nearly every individual category and took home first place overall. The students will now advance to the New York State Envirothon hosted at SUNY Cortland on May 27 and 28. Rounding out the overall top three: the Pulaski High School team came in second place and Altmar-Parish-Williamstown (APW) High School Team 1 placed third.

The competition also presented first and second place awards respectively in the following individual categories:

• Aquatics: Pulaski High School, G. Ray Bodley High School (Fulton)
• Current Issues: Pulaski High School, G. Ray Bodley High School (Fulton)
• Forestry: G. Ray Bodley High School (Fulton), APW High School Team 1
• Soils: G. Ray Bodley High School (Fulton), John C. Birdlebough High School (Phoenix)
• Wildlife: G. Ray Bodley High School (Fulton), APW High School Team 1
• Presentation: APW High School Team 1, Pulaski High School
• Team Spirit: APW High School Team 2, Pulaski High School
• Teamwork Award: Ray Bodley High School (Fulton), APW High School Team 1

The competition tests high school students on their knowledge of natural resources in New York State. They complete hands-on exams covering a variety of topics such as aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and current environmental issues, such as nonpoint source pollution. Ahead of the event, the teams also completed a verbal presentation which was scored by a panel of judges.

Two teams from Altmar-Parish-Williamstown (APW) High School participated in this year’s event, along with one team each from Paul V. Moore High School in Central Square, G. Ray Bodley High School in Fulton, Oswego High School, John C. Birdlebough High School in Phoenix and Pulaski High School.

Oswego County Soil and Water District staff expressed their gratitude to the many volunteers and partners who helped write exams, monitor stations and score tests.

They included Stacy Furgal, New York Sea Grant; Mariah Swartz, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC); Dave Andrews and Monica Caves from Upstate Freshwater Institute; Amy Langner, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Natural Resources Conservation Service; Colleen Cargile, Kirsten Short and Krista Tyrrell, all from USDA – Farm Services Agency; Tiffany Beshures, Eric Kraus and Douglas Lindsey, Constellation; Ed Hogan, Oswego County Trappers Association; Walt Friebel, New York Tree Farm Program; Marion Greenhalgh, retired from NRG Oswego Harbor Power; and Rich and Roxane Thormann, former advisors for the APW High School team.

The competition was sponsored by Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District, Constellation Energy Corp., Indeck Oswego Energy Center, Ed Hogan, Oswego County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Agri-Mark Dairy Farmers, Eagle Beverage Company, Inc., Fulton Screen Print & Embroidery, New York Forest Owners Association, North Shore Sportsmen’s Association, Novelis, Oswego County Trappers Association, Price Chopper Supermarket, Sandy Tuori-Bell and Selkirk Shores State Park.

Oswego County Envirothon was coordinated by Erica Schreiner, senior district technician for OCSWCD, with assistance from OCSWCD Manager Joe Chairvolotti, OCSWCD Treasurer Laura Romanowicz, OCSWCD Environmental Resource Specialist Dylan Cox; OCSWCD Environmental Resource Specialist Ben Gephard.

For more information about the annual Oswego County Envirothon or the Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District, visit https://www.oswegocountysoilandwater.org/ or call the office at 315-592-9663.

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