On May 22, the Connecticut River Academy (CTRA) Envirothon team competed against 41 other state high school teams at the Connecticut College Aboretum in New London. Envirothon, a natural resource based-education program for Connecticut high school students, promotes environmental awareness and personal stewardship through education and competition. Divisions in the competition include aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, oral presentation, and a skill station. The CTRA team tied for first place in the aquatics division and ranked thirteenth overall in their second year as a competing team.
Coached by CTRA science staff member Sebby Agostino, the CTRA team met weekly to review curriculum materials, conduct fieldwork, and prepare a presentation. They also attended four Saturday workshops including one on aquatics hosted by CTRA in January. The competition team members included Jasmin Claudio, Edward Jobes, Jasmine Kermode, Jack MacKay, Tyler Pereau, and Easton Ronalter. Other team members are Kaitlyn Abbott, Blaise Bible, and Josh Hockley.
Urban forestry was the topic for all oral presentations in this year’s statewide Envirothon competition, and CTRA’s tree study of the Goodwin College campus in East Hartford earned them a high ranking in that category. In preparation for Envirothon, the CTRA team hosted about 50 students for a “tree tour” during the school’s annual spring magnet theme day.
Click here to learn more about the Connecticut River Academy.
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.