Charter School of Wilmington Team A won the school’s 22nd straight Delaware Envirothon championship today at Abbott’s Mill Nature Center in Milford. Left to right are team members Siddhi Dinavahi, Arya Gupta, Eesha Sagiraju, Dharshini Senthilnathan, Amber Wong and Elaine Zuo (Alt.) /DNREC photo.

Charter’s Team A Claims School’s 22nd Straight Victory in Statewide Environmental Competition

Charter School of Wilmington Team A is the winner of the 2024 Delaware Envirothon competition held today at Abbotts Mill Nature Center in Milford, the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts announced today. The latest state Envirothon championship marks Charter School of Wilmington’s school’s 22nd win in the event’s 28-year history, highlighted by an unbroken winning streak in the Envirothon competition since 2002. Odessa High School FFA came in second place and Wilmington Charter School Team B placed third in the Envirothon competition.

Sponsored by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the annual environmental education competition is open to high school students statewide.

The 16 competing Envirothon teams representing nine high schools and one 4-H club statewide – Calvary Christian Academy, Charter School of Wilmington, Middletown High School FFA, Newark Charter High School, Odessa High School FFA, Polytech High School, Smyrna High School FFA, Sussex Central High School, Sussex Tech High School FFA and Peach Blossom 4-H Club – worked hard all school year to prepare for the 2024 event held at Abbotts Mill Nature Center in Milford.

Each team answered questions, reviewed specimens, and took measurements in topics dealing with aquatic ecology, soils/land use, wildlife, forestry and the current environmental issue of “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.” Teams also had to give a seven to 10-minute oral presentation of a scenario based on the current issue.

After more than three hours of testing, Charter School of Wilmington Team A was crowned the 2024 state champion. The first-place team will represent Delaware at the 2024 National Conservation Foundation (NCF) International Envirothon to be held at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York, from July 28 to Aug. 3.

Each member of the winning team earned a $500 scholarship from the Delaware Envirothon and other prizes. The winning team will also receive an award plaque for their school. The second through seventh place teams received more than $1,300 in special team awards and cash prizes.

Prizes in the form of gift cards and ribbons were awarded to the top seven teams. The official results are as follows:

• First place – The Charter School of Wilmington Team A: Siddhi Dinavahi, Arya Gupta, Eesha Sagiraju, Dharshini Senthilnathan, Amber Wong and Elaine Zuo (Alt.)
• Second place – Odessa High School FFA: Makennah Bell, Luke Brown, Camrynn Chambers, Emma Sweetman and Jackson Wills
• Third place – Saathvi Arunkumar, Rujula Borkar, Finnigan Carroll, Subiksha Srinivasan Vidya, Dhriti Tattari and Jane Oommen (Alt.)
• Fourth place – Peach Blossom 4-H Club: Ava Gallo, Aidan Garey, Mason Hay, Kaylyn Jones, Justus Moritz, Sofia Marquez (Alt.) and Lexi Hay (Alt.)
• Fifth place – Newark Charter High School Aquaholics: Zahra Ali, Anavi Chintam, Nina Moses, Ritisha Sarbajna and Aaliyah Sheikh
• Sixth place – Sussex Tech High School FFA: Hayden Chisenhall, Johnna Hataway, Morgan Lowe, Brock O’Day, Trent Ruark, Jack Willin (Alt.) and Connor LeCates (Alt.)
• Seventh place – Polytech Future Fertilizer: Christopher Clay, Aiden Clough, Abigail Masterson, Aiden Taylor and Emma Vernon

Since its inception, the Delaware Envirothon has awarded $70,000 in scholarships to 140 students. The event is hosted by the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD), a voluntary, non-profit association that coordinates conservation efforts statewide to focus on natural resource issues identified by Delaware’s three local districts.

In addition to DNREC, major sponsors include the Delaware Solid Waste Authority, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Sussex Conservation District, the Kent Conservation District, and the New Castle Conservation District, along with many other smaller donors.

More information about the annual event can be found at delawareenvirothon.org.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn. 

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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An adult piping plover parent guides two chicks along the species’ prime habitat of Delaware beachfront in 2023. Photo by Jessica McNulty.

Training Set Saturday, May 4 at Cape Henlopen State Park for Helping to Protect State’s Endangered and Threatened Birds

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is seeking volunteers who want to help protect Delaware’s beach-nesting birds – which include federally-listed threatened piping plovers and state-listed endangered American oystercatchers and others. Potential volunteers are invited to join a training session held by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 4 at Cape Henlopen State Park’s Officers Club Mess Hall located on Queens Road in Lewes.

Volunteers who serve as monitors play an important and valuable role in the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s conservation efforts for beach-nesting birds. Stationed on the boundaries of the nesting areas, volunteers explain to beachgoers the importance of closing sections of the beach to prevent human disturbance, thus helping increase the nesting success of the birds.

The volunteer training session will begin with light refreshments and a slideshow presentation, followed by discussion about the beach-nesting bird monitoring program and how volunteers can help to ensure that these shorebirds are not disturbed while nesting and rearing chicks during the summer months. Weather and time permitting, the group will finish the training session by venturing out to the Point at Cape Henlopen to look for piping plovers and other shorebirds likely to be feeding on the tidal flats. Binoculars will be available for use, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own optics if they have them.

The Division of Fish and Wildlife encourages volunteers to submit an interest form prior to the training, but volunteer walk-ups can also receive training to become beach-nesting bird monitors. Park entrance fees will be waived for volunteers attending the training at Cape Henlopen State Park. For more information on the training, about beach-nesting birds, or about volunteer monitoring efforts, visit de.gov/pipingplovers or email DNREC Coastal Waterbird Biologist Katherine Christie at deshorebirds@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn. 

Media Contacts:  Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov

I-ADAPT Helps Residents Identify Strategies to Prepare For Flooding

Delaware residents can now take advantage of a new web-based tool designed to help them identify steps they can take to protect their property from flood damage.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Climate, Coastal, and Energy and Division of Watershed Stewardship have launched I-ADAPT, the Individual Adaptation Decision And Planning Tool, to help Delawareans become more resilient to climate hazards, particularly flooding.

“Flooding is not something that impacts only our coastal communities,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Climate change is bringing more frequent and intense storms that result in flooding in our urban and inland communities. I-ADAPT can help identify ways that residents can prepare their homes and businesses before flooding occurs.”

Users input answers about their property and preferences and I-ADAPT uses that information to identify personalized adaptation solutions they can incorporate now or in the future to increase their property’s resilience to flood events. The recommendations also include estimated budgets and additional resources for specific projects.

At the end of the survey, users have the option of having recommendations emailed to them for ease and accessibility. To ensure user privacy, information shared with I-ADAPT is not saved. Users who do not save or email the adaptation strategies to themselves would need to recomplete the survey to receive the recommendations again.

DNREC has scheduled meetings in each of the three counties to promote awareness about I-ADAPT and how it works.

The meeting locations, times and dates are:

• Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Route 9 Library & Innovation Center, 3022 New Castle Avenue, New Castle
• Tuesday, May 21, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover
• Thursday, May 23, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Avenue, Lewes

Computers and trained staff will be available to assist the public in using I-ADAPT to generate adaptation strategies for their individual properties. Visitors can stop by at any time during the informational events to learn about I-ADAPT and try it out for themselves.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, Michael.globetti@delaware.gov or Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov

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A young angler shows off his catch at last year’s Youth Fishing Tournament. /DNREC photo.

Preregistration Open Now for Ages 4 to 15 to Fish at Three Ponds

Families are invited to bring their kids out to try casting a line for a big fish in three of the First State’s freshwater public ponds when the Fish and Wildlife Delaware Natural Resources Police hosts its 38th annual Youth Fishing Tournament from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 1, 2024. Held at Ingrams Pond in Sussex County, Akridge Scout Reservation in Kent County, and Lums Pond in New Castle County, the tournament is free of charge and will be held rain or shine. Preregistration is required by Friday, May 17.

Tournament weighmasters onsite at each pond weigh catches for participants ages 4 through 15 to determine each county’s top catch and age group titles, as well as the title of overall state winner. Trophies for the three county winners and the overall state winner will be presented at the Delaware State Fair in July.

Sponsored by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Delaware Natural Resources Police, the Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament was established to introduce youth to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation. More information on the Youth Fishing Tournament can be found at de.gov/yft.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn. 

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

A team from Wilmington’s Cab Calloway School of the Arts won the annual Junior Solar Sprint competition held at Delaware State University. Left to right above, three members of the Cab Calloway team celebrate the school’s second straight Junior Solar Sprint Championship: Ashvin Sharma, Chetan Kasukurthi and Viraj Mehta. /DNREC photo

Middle School Students Build, Race Solar Vehicles

Cab Calloway School of the Arts from Wilmington accumulated the most points in combined design, portfolio and race competitions to earn first place in the 2024 Junior Solar Sprint held today on the campus of Delaware State University. Holy Cross School of Dover came second in the competitions, while Sussex Montessori School of Seaford was third.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) teams up with the Delaware Technology Student Association (TSA) for the event each year. Students in grades 5 through 8 work with classmates and teacher advisors over several months to build model cars powered by solar photovoltaic cells, better known as solar panels.

“We are proud to partner with the TSA to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math through the annual Junior Solar Sprint,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Expectations are high for the competitors each year, and students once again rose to the occasion in their creativity, teamwork and head-to-head race competition.”

Dayna Cobb, Director of DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy, said the annual Junior Solar Sprint is an event the Division looks forward to hosting each year. “Climate change is pushing the state, nation and world to find solutions by developing clean energy technologies to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere,” she said. “The Junior Solar Sprint demonstrates how, by working together, we can achieve positive results in tackling the environmental challenges we face today, and which we will continue to face in the future.”

Students received points for project portfolios, overall design and fastest speed in a timed competition. The team accumulating the most points wins. TSA-affiliated teams also can earn the opportunity to represent Delaware against other students from around the country in the national TSA conference, which is being held in Orlando, Florida in June.

Teams from five Delaware schools participated in the 2024 competition, including Las Americas ASPIRA Academy, Newark; Cab Calloway School of the Arts; Holy Cross School; May B. Leasure Elementary School, Newark; and Sussex Montessori School.

Competition results:

The all-around winners for combined speed, design and portfolio presentations were:

• 1^st place: Team #2, Chetan Kasukurthi, Vedic Mukherjee, Viraj Mehta and Ashvin Sharma from Cab Calloway School of the Arts;
• 2^nd place: Team #10, Kehllan Thomas, Luke Curley, Gavin Reed and Sam Shevok from Holy Cross School
• 3^rd place: Team #7, Brayden Nichols, Joellen Reinke and Liam Cannon from Sussex Montessori School

Top results from the double elimination races were:

• 1^st place: Team #7, Brayden Nichols, Joellen Reinke and Liam Cannon from Sussex Montessori School
• 2^nd place: Team #2, Chetan Kasukurthi, Vedic Mukherjee, Viraj Mehta and Ashvin Sharma from Cab Calloway School of the Arts
• 3^rd place: Team #10, Kehllan Thomas, Luke Curley, Gavin Reed and Sam Shevok from Holy Cross School

Top results from the design competition were:

• 1^st place, Team #8, Cadence Wahl and Keira Clarke from Las Americas ASPIRA Academy;
• 2^nd place, Team #10, Kehllan Thomas, Luke Curley, Gavin Reed and Sam Shevok from Holy Cross School;
• 3^rd place, Team #6, Rhys Scott, Portia Jalloh, Nypha Gatimu and Sakari Watson from May B. Leasure Elementary School.

Top results from the portfolio competition were:

• 1^st place: Team #2, Chetan Kasukurthi, Vedic Mukherjee, Viraj Mehta and Ashvin Sharma from Cab Calloway School of the Arts;
• 2^nd place: Team #6, Rhys Scott, Portia Jalloh, Nypha Gatimu and Sakari Watson from May B. Leasure Elementary School;
• 3^rd. place: Team #8, Cadence Wahl and Keira Clarke from Las Americas ASPIRA Academy.

Visit de.gov/solarsprint for more information on the Junior Solar Sprint.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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