Groton Places 4th Nationally in Envirothon

Groton’s Envirothon team has placed fourth in the national environmental science competition, a noteworthy accomplishment for a novice team among more experienced competitors.

 

Competing in the national competition for Groton were Amelia Lee '22, Alice Liu '23, Amy Ma '23, Aidan O'Connell '23, and Aisling O’Connell '21. Challenged to present a solution for nitrate contamination in groundwater, they faced forty-two teams, most representing U.S. states but also including three teams from China and four from Canada.

 

“Many of these teams had participated multiple times in the past,” said Dr. David Black, environmental science teacher and Envirothon advisor. “Doing so well in the first year testifies to the effort that the Groton team put into preparing for the event.”

 

The competition included five tests and a virtual presentation; Groton’s was entitled “Managing Nitrate Levels in BGMA.” BGMA is the Bazile Groundwater Management Area, an area in Nebraska known for high nitrate contamination. Envirothon, a program of the National Conservation Foundation, was hosted this year by the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts.

 

Placing first was a team from New York, followed by teams from North Carolina and South Carolina. The Groton team qualified for nationals by outperforming Massachusetts teams in May, with a presentation on the Nashua River.

“Not only did we have a lot of fun learning about the intricacies of environmental science and policy as a team," said team captain Amy Ma, "but we also enjoyed hearing the varying perspectives and solutions of students who are equally passionate about environmental issues such as groundwater contamination.”

 

Groton’s environmentalists are already assessing their performance and looking forward to qualifying for next year’s national competition, in Ohio.