Lacey Senior and MATES Team State Envirothon Champions

For the third year in a row students from the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Sciences (MATES) in Manahawkin were the winners of the New Jersey Envirothon held on Saturday, May 5.

The team, consisting of Seniors Ryan Sullivan of Lacey, James Geddis of Jackson, Alex Hascha of Brick, Kelsey Lardiere of Manahawkin, and Michelle Predi of Barnegat Light, will represent New Jersey in the 2012 Canon Envirothon at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa. in July.

“We are so proud of our students,” added MATES Science Instructor and Team Advisor David Werner. “Their dedication and hard work has paid off for the third year in a row. Our nine graduating members will be severely missed next year.”

The same students taking home first this year were the winning Envirothon team last year. MATES also had another team win second place overall. The groups competed against 32 teams on knowledge of natural resources-related topics, including soils, forestry, aquatics, wildlife ecology and a current environmental issue. This year’s Envirothon theme was “Nonpoint Source Pollution and Low Impact Development.”

“I was most impressed by the fact that we placed first and second for team presentation,” said Science Instructor and Team Advisor Adam Sprague. 

During the team presentation, the students had to orally communicate natural resource material while also addressing environmental issues, Sprague said. The team had to use collaborative efforts to develop practical solutions.

For this year’s Envirothon, the students were “hired” by the Woodbridge Township Redevelopment Agency to act as a planning consultant to develop a Green Business Park.

“The students from both teams received many compliments at the conclusion of the Envirothon competition, one of which was from one of the city planners working on this actual project who requested the students come present their plan to the city council,” Sprague said.

The team was assigned the topic for their presentation a week before the Envirothon, said Sullivan, who was on MATES's winning team three years in a row. After preparation, the team would present at one of six stations at the competition. Each station also had a hands on and written tests.

"It tests our knowledge on everything the competition encompasses," Sullivan said. 

The team was the first in the history of the Envirothon to receive a perfect score on one of the tests, scoring 100 for aquatics.

Sullivan along with Hascha and Predi have been on the team since their freshman year in which they took home a small award, Sullivan said.

"We were fortunate enough to get spots on the team our freshman year," he said. "We stepped it up to the point where we are now."

Sullivan said he enjoyed learning about the different methods of nonpoint source pollution and participating in the Envirothon has given him a greater respect for the environment. His experience has also influenced his future career choice as he plans to pursue geology and groundwater sciences.

As winners, each member of the team received $1,000 scholarships from the New Jersey Association of Conservation Districts, $2,000 scholarships from Richard Stockton State College and $1,000 scholarships from Applied and Health Sciences at Kean University.

Wayne Valley High School in Wayne placed third.

“Every student who participates in this valuable competition came away a winner for learning more about the environment, natural resources and science,” said Secretary Douglas Fisher of the state Department of Agriculture, which runs the Envirothon. “Our hope is that these high-achieving students continue to pursue this course of study and consider careers in agriculture and natural resources-related fields.”

The Envirothon is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, State Soil Conservation Committee; New Jersey Association of Conservation Districts; the 15 Soil Conservation Districts; United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; and Rutgers Cooperative Extension.