Grand County High School students took seventh place overall at the Utah Envirothon last month. GCHS students earned second place in Forestry, third in Aquatics and third for the National Future Farmers of America Organization (FFA Team) at the annual event.

The Envirothon, a natural resource competition for high school students, was held in the Richfield, at Fremont Indian State Park, April 26-27. The GCHS students were accompanied to the competition by Envirothon coaches Ashley Violett and Cari Caylor.

Grand County High School student team members Treyton Helquist, Anna Scherer, Marcus Johnson, Nat Smith and Maren Larsen, competed against 17 other high school teams from across the state at the event.

During Envirothon, five-member teams are tested on their knowledge of the state’s natural resources, including soils, aquatics, forestry, wildlife and a current environmental issue. This year’s current issue was grazing and land management.

Students visited five field stations, where they received instruction and a written and hands-on problem-solving test that they were required to complete without the help of an advisor. The students also competed in an oral presentation.

GCHS team members and coaches extended a special thank you to Barb Smith and Michael Diem, from the National Forest Service Manti-La Sal, Moab field office, for their expertise and helping the students prepare for the rigorous competition.

The Utah Envirothon, now in its 16th year, is sponsored by the Utah Association of Conservation Districts, with major financial contributions from Utah State University Colleges of Natural Resources and Science, Utah Division of Water Quality, Utah Conservation Commission, Campbell Scientific, and Utah Farm Bureau. Technical experts and volunteers are provided by the major federal and state conservation organizations.

For more information about the Utah Envirothon, go to www.utahenvirothon.org.