PHOTO COURTESY TAMA SWCD

Need an out-of-the-box STEM activity for your high schoolers that’s also a tool for resumé building and for career and college preparation?

An activity that looks great on scholarship and job applications?

Envirothon is a team competition for high school students– a problem-solving, natural resource education program. Teams of five students are challenged to sharpen critical thinking skills and to work as a team. They conduct hands-on investigations and answer written questions concerning environmental issues in five categories: aquatics, forestry, wildlife, soils and current environmental issues.

This competition provides an incentive for students to integrate and apply knowledge and skills learned in biology, chemistry, earth science, botany, zoology and other science disciplines. It stimulates, reinforces and enhances students’ interest in the environment, Iowa’s natural resources and related careers. Of course, there is also the incentive of travel, scholarships, prizes and prestige!

Regional competition for the Iowa Envirothon will be held virtually with the exams available March 13-24. Registrations are due to Conservation Districts of Iowa by Friday, February 24, and Tama Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) is volunteering to pay the $80 registration fee for select area schools! In fact, if a select school’s team advances to state level of competition, Tama SWCD will reimburse certain expenses for the team to attend!

Check out Iowa Envirothon at https://www.cdiowa.org/get-involved/envirothon/. Contact melody.bro@ia.nacdnet.net or 641-484-2702, extension 3 by February 24 if you would like Tama SWCD to sponsor your school’s team(s).