USDA-NRCS State Conservationist Kasey Taylor, with Charter School of Wilmington Team A: Mukta Kantak, Tiffany Situ, Meghna Raj Annasagaram, Erica Hong, Claire Andreasen, and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. DNREC photo.

Charter School of Wilmington Team A is the winner of the 2022 Delaware Envirothon competition held today at the St. Jones Estuarine Research Reserve in Dover, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts announced today. Today’s win marks the school’s 20th win in the event’s 27-year history, including an unbroken winning streak since 2002. Peach Blossom 4-H Club came in second place and Odessa High School FFA placed third in the Envirothon competition.

“Today, 10 teams of Delaware students were challenged to apply their environmental knowledge to plan and present inventive solutions to present-day environmental situations – and I would like congratulate all of them for stepping up to the challenge,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “These students are today’s young environmental stewards, and I look forward to seeing them taking leadership roles to help ensure the future.”

This year, the 10 competing Envirothon teams representing six high schools and one 4-H club statewide – Calvary Christian Academy, Charter School of Wilmington, Newark Charter School, Odessa High School FFA, Smyrna High School FFA, Sussex Tech High School FFA and Peach Blossom 4-H Club – worked hard all school year to prepare for the event.

Each team answered questions, reviewed specimens, and took measurements in topics dealing with aquatic ecology, soils/land use, wildlife, forestry, air quality and the current environmental issue of “Waste to Resources.” Teams also had to give a seven to 10 minute oral presentation of a scenario based on the special topic. After more than three hours of testing, Charter School of Wilmington Team A was crowned the 2022 state champion. The first place team will represent Delaware at the 2022 North American National Conservation Foundation Envirothon held at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in late July.

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. Special cash awards for the top three teams in air quality, forestry, and soils were provided by the DNREC Division of Air Quality, the Delaware Forestry Association, and the Pocomoke Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society.

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: Claire Andreasen, Meghna Raj Annasagaram, Erica Hong, Mukta Kantak, Tiffany Situ and alternate Rujula Brokar
• Second place – Peach Blossom 4-H Club: Brielle Carter, Aidan Garey, Brenna Geidel, Bethany Knutsen and Leighton Webb
• Third place – Odessa High School FFA: Kaelin Desrosiers, Natalie Holdren, Bruce Macolley, Taylor Mahoney and Ella Vandervort
• Fourth place – The Charter School of Wilmington Team C: Rakshetha Balaji, Mikul Duggal, Arjan Kahlon, Khai McCaskill and Dharshini Senthilnathan
• Fifth place – The Charter School of Wilmington Team B: Amogh Baradwaj, Siddhi Dinavahi, Pargya Singh and Michaela Somers and Joanna Tan
• Sixth place – Newark Charter High School CliMates: Samita Bomasamudram, Anna Gliwa, Amber Gray, Jared Murray and Benjamin Schultz
• Seventh place – Calvary Christian Academy: Dawson Shahan, John Thomas, Michelle Thomas, Elijah Washington, Kayleigh Young

Since its inception, the Delaware Envirothon has awarded $62,500 in scholarships to 125 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. A program of the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts, the Delaware Envirothon is also sponsored by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

More information can be found at www.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, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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Presenting the check, left to right: Howell Wallace of the Mid-Del Foundation, Tim Riley of the Kent Conservation District, and Andy Burger of the Mid-Del Foundation.

HARRINGTON – The Kent Conservation District recently received a Mid-Del Foundation grant in support of the annual Delaware Envirothon, an environmental education challenge sponsored by the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD), in which teams of Delaware high school students compete for scholarships and awards. DACD partners with DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship, working with landowners and managers to implement agricultural and urban/suburban conservation plans.

The Kent Conservation District was among 29 local organizations receiving grants from the Mid-Del Foundation, the charitable arm for Harrington Raceway and Casino, at the foundation’s 17th annual grant luncheon on Nov. 12 in the casino’s gold room.

During the Delaware Envirothon, five-member teams test their practical knowledge and application of environmental science in the categories of aquatic ecology, forestry, soils/land-use, wildlife, air quality, and a current environmental issue, along with their public speaking skills. The state champion team goes on to represent Delaware in national competition. The Envirothon’s goals include:

• Promoting environmental awareness and stewardship;
• Developing students’ critical thinking, cooperative problem solving, and decision-making skills;
• Presenting balanced options for management of our renewable and non-renewable natural resources; and
• Providing awareness of and accessibility to resource organizations offering assistance in environmental issues.

For more information about the Delaware Envirothon, please visit www.delawareenvirothon.org or contact Rick Mickowski at 302-365-8979.

The Mid-Del Foundation supports organizations and activities involving agricultural, civic, and social needs in Delaware. Established to consolidate the charitable undertakings of Harrington Raceway, Inc., the Mid-Del Foundation has awarded nearly $1.4 million in grants since 2002.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 326

DOVER – The Kent, New Castle, and Sussex Conservation Districts are now accepting entries for the districts’ annual conservation poster contest from K-12 students in public, charter, private, and home schools. Posters will be judged on the 2018 theme, “Watersheds: Our Water, Our Home,” in the following grade categories: K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. First, second and third place winners in each category will receive a cash prize of $50, $25 and $15, respectively. State-level winning posters also will receive a cash award from the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD).

In addition to regular posters, a special category for computer-generated posters is open to all high school students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in a graphics art/computer class or program of study. These entries will be judged at the county level only and will not be eligible for national judging.

Each Conservation District will submit first-place posters in each grade category for judging at the state level by DNREC professional staff. First-place posters in each grade level will be entered into the national conservation district poster contest, with winners to be displayed during the national conference Feb. 2-6, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas.

The student’s name, grade level, teacher and school must be clearly and legibly printed on the back of the poster. Posters must be hand-delivered or mailed flat in time to the meet the deadline to the Conservation District office in the county in which the student resides. Addresses are as follows:
• New Castle Conservation District, 2430 Old County Road, Newark, DE 19702
• Kent Conservation District, 800 Bay Road, Suite 2, Dover, DE 19901
• Sussex Conservation District, 21315 Berlin Road, Unit 4, Georgetown, DE 19947
The deadline for poster entries is Friday, Oct. 19.

The annual conservation poster contest provides students an opportunity to convey their ideas about soil, water, and related natural resource issues through art. It also highlights the educational outreach efforts of conservation districts and their state associations, auxiliaries and agencies.

“Watersheds: Our Water, Our Home,” this year’s annual stewardship theme developed by the National Association of Conservation Districts, is a reminder that everyone lives in a watershed, an area of land that drains to a common point. The way we treat the land in our watershed and our daily habits can have a big impact on the water we drink. Did you know that only 1 percent of the water on planet earth is fresh, usable water? For more information and educational resources about the theme and poster contest guidelines, please visit http://www.nacdnet.org/general-resources/stewardship-and-education-materials/contests/. For a flyer with Delaware’s poster contest guidelines, please visit www.newcastleconservationdistrict.org, www.kentcd.org or www.sussexconservation.org. For more information, please contact Rick Mickowski at 302-365-8979, or by email at Rick.Mickowski@delaware.gov.

Vol. 48, No. 247

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

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This year’s theme: ‘Healthy Soils Are Full of Life’ 

DOVER – The Kent, New Castle, and Sussex Conservation Districts are now accepting entries in their annual conservation poster contest for K-12 students in Delaware’s public, charter, private, or home schools. Posters will be judged on the 2017 theme, “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life,” in the following grade categories: K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. First, second and third place winners in each category will receive a cash prize of $50, $25, and $15, respectively. The state-level winning posters also will receive a cash award from the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD).

The deadline for poster entries is Friday, Oct. 20. In addition to regular posters, a special category for computer-generated posters is open to all high school students in grades 9-12 who take a graphics art/computer class or program of study. These entries will be judged at the county/state level only and will not be eligible for national judging.

Each Conservation District will submit first-place posters in each grade category for judging at the state level. In the event that an insufficient number of posters are received at the county level, county level judging will be eliminated and all posters will be judged at the state level. First-place posters in each grade level will be entered into the national conservation district poster contest, with winners to be displayed during the National Association of Conservation District’s conference in Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 27-31, 2018.

The student’s name, grade level, teacher, and school must be clearly and legibly printed on the back of the poster. Posters must be hand-delivered or mailed flat in time to the meet the deadline to the Conservation District office in the county in which the student resides. Addresses are as follows:

• New Castle Conservation District, 2430 Old County Road, Newark, DE 19702
• Kent Conservation District, 800 Bay Road, Suite 2, Dover, DE 19901
• Sussex Conservation District, 21315 Berlin Road, Unit 4, Georgetown, DE 19947

The annual conservation poster contest provides students with an opportunity to convey their thoughts about soil, water, and related natural resource issues through art. It also highlights the educational outreach efforts of conservation districts and their state associations, auxiliaries, and agencies. The contest follows the annual stewardship theme developed and sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts.

“Healthy Soils Are Full of Life,” this year’s theme, reminds us of the important benefits that healthy and productive soils provide to us for food, fiber, habitat, and clean water. For more information and educational resources about the theme and poster contest guidelines, please visit http://www.nacdnet.org/general-resources/stewardship-and-education-materials/contests/.

For a flyer with Delaware’s poster contest guidelines, please visit www.newcastleconservationdistrict.org, www.kentcd.org or www.sussexconservation.org. For more information, please contact Rick Mickowski at 302-832-3100 ext. 8979, or by email at Rick.Mickowski@delaware.gov.

The annual poster contest is sponsored by DNREC and the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts. DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship provides technical and financial assistance to Delaware’s farmers, landowners, and homeowners to protect and enhance the state’s soil and water resources, mainly through the Division’s Delaware Conservation Districts staff.

Vol. 47, No. 214

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

DOVER (March 28, 2013) – The Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD) encourages you to think about your personal responsibility to be a good steward of Delaware’s natural resources during its annual Stewardship Week celebration. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) has proclaimed April 28 to May 5 as Soil and Water Stewardship Week, marking the 58^th year of the national event, with 2013 theme “Where Does Your Water Shed?” 

The Delaware Association and its three districts are members of the NACD, which oversees the Stewardship Week program. Stewardship Week is one of the largest national annual programs to promote conservation. NACD represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, which were established to encourage resource conservation across the country. Delaware’s conservation districts purchase Stewardship Week materials for distribution to local schools and church organizations as funding permits. 

The “Where Does Your Water Shed” theme plays on the fact that less than 1 percent of all of the water on our planet is fresh water. The average citizen in the United States uses 70 gallons of water every day – which does not include the water it takes to manufacture the automobiles, clothing and food we depend on every day. The Delaware Districts encourage you to take time to learn about your local community water supply sources, and to volunteer for river, stream or beach clean-up days, and to realize: You can make a difference. 

During the month of April, DACD President Wendy O. Baker will lead a stewardship celebration including a proclamation from Governor Jack Markell declaring this important observance in Delaware. The celebration will also recognize the recipients of the annual Governor’s Conservation Awards at a special ceremony on Wednesday, April 17 at the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village in Dover. 

Age-appropriate activity books, posters, calendars, bookmarks, activity placemats and other items are available for a very small fee through NACD to promote the Stewardship Week theme. To learn more and preview the available materials, as well as download the free educators guide, you can visit http://www.nacdnet.org/stewardship/2013/index.phtml. 

For more information about Stewardship Week materials available through your local conservation district, call 302-832-3100, ext. 3 in New Castle County, 302-741-2600, ext. 3 in Kent County, or 302-856-3990 ext. 3 in Sussex County. For more information about Stewardship Week or the conservation awards, please contact Martha Pileggi, DACD administrative assistant, at 302-739-9921. For additional information about the National Association of Conservation Districts, please visit www.nacdnet.org 

“Clean water is important to everyone,” said National Association of Conservation Districts President Earl Garber. “Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They cross county, state and national boundaries. Every inch of the land on planet Earth is part of a watershed. In the continental U.S., there are 2,100 watersheds. If we include Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico, the count rises to 2,267. No matter where you are right now, you are in a watershed.”

Contact: Martha Pileggi, DASD Administrative Assistant, 302-739-9921  

 Vol. 43, No. 116   

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