Kentucky environmental attorney Sanders says Model Laboratory School wins 2009 Kentucky Envirothon.

We have a winner of the Kentucky 2009 Environthon Challenge.

The Kentucky Division of Conservation announced the winner of the 2009 Kentucky Envirothon. Model Laboratory School in Richmond topped all other groups in the competition held May 21-22 at the Kentucky Leadership Center near Nancy.

The competition began with 32 teams from across the state contending for the top slots from each of the two regional competitions held in April at the Pennyrile State Forest and Morehead State University Farm.  Model, Boyle County High School, Scott County FFA, Southwestern High School from Pulaski County, Oldham County FFA, Louisville’s DuPont Manual and West Carter High School earned advancement to the state finals.

Students were tested on their environmental knowledge in five areas: soils, aquatics, forestry, wildlife, and “Biodiversity in a Changing World.” During the state competition, students were also judged on an oral presentation dealing with “Biodiversity in a Changing World.”  The results are:  

• Model won the site competition in soils, forestry, and tied for first place in aquatics with Fayette County.
• Fayette County won the oral presentation.
• Oldham County tied with DuPont Manual High School for the win in the special topics section.
• DuPont Manual placed fourth in the competition with a win in the wildlife section of the test.

 The state winner will go on to represent Kentucky at the Canon Envirothon, a national event hosted by the University of North Carolina in Ashville Aug. 2- 8, 2009.

 Sponsors of the Kentucky Envirothon are: Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit Services, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts’ Auxiliary, Kentucky Environmental Education Council and several local conservation districts.

The Kentucky Division of Forestry, Kentucky Division of Water, and the Kentucky Division of Conservation assisted with the competition.