The Boghaunter Home School in Casco took second place and Bonny Eagle High School of Standish placed third at the 2008 State Envirothon, held recently at Unity College in Unity.

Sixteen teams representing 13 high schools from around the state competed at this event. Edward Little High School of Auburn took the top prize.

The Boghaunter team included Maya Critchfield, Sky Critchfield, and Amanda Ross. Bonny Eagle students competing included Matt Bolton, Stephanie Lombardo, Ashley Cox, Murphy Doughty, Jessica Minton, and Betty MacWilliams, the team’s advisor.

Envirothon, Maine’s largest high school-age environmental education program, is an international program representing over 500,000 students in the United States and Canada. First place Edward Little High School will represent Maine at the international Canon Envirothon competition to be held at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ in late July. The international Canon Envirothon, organized by local soil and water conservation districts and other conservation agencies, is sponsored by Canon USA, in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Forest Service, National Association of Conservation Districts, Mead Westvaco Corporation, American Electric Power, Inc., and Alcoa Foundation.

The major objective of the Maine Envirothon, an effective educational tool capable of supplementing environmental education both indoors and outdoors, is to provide opportunities for high school-age students, whether a home school, FFA Group, Explorer Club, Boys/Girls Club, Boy/Girl Scouts or public and private schools, to acquire and increase their outdoor skills and scientific knowledge about Maine’s natural resources so that they can make informed, educated decisions about the environment. It provides students with reference materials, workshops, and hands-on, outdoor, real life experiences in five areas including forestry, wildlife, soils, aquatics, and a current issue-this year being Recreational Impacts on Natural Resources. Each team must have an adult advisor, 18 years of age or older.

Other high schools competing in the State Envirothon finals included: Bucksport, Caribou Alternative, Dirigo, Hampden Academy, Hodgdon, Jay, Jonesport-Beals, Lee Academy, Washington Academy and Nokomis. Teams from Old Town and Ashland High Schools were eligible for the State Envirothon but were unable to attend. These teams represented the top three winning teams from six regional competitions held around the state earlier in May.

An Envirothon Web site for all interested participants, advisors and sponsors is available at www.envirothon.org or maineswcds.org.