Released: June 5, 2024
Congratulations to the Penncrest Gold Team for their outstanding performance at the 32nd Annual Delaware County Envirothon, hosted by the Delaware County Conservation District (DCCD) at Ridley Creek State Park on April 30.
Delaware County Council congratulates the students from Penncrest High School for their outstanding performance at the 32nd Annual Delaware County Envirothon, an international environmental and natural resource problem-solving competition that builds leadership experience for high school students (grades 9-12 or ages 14-19) while encouraging the exploration of environmental education and natural resource conservation through the study of Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, Wildlife, and Current Environmental Issues.
This marks Penncrest’s third consecutive victory and their twenty-eighth first place finish at the county level since 1993!
Impressively, in addition to three back-to-back first place finishes among Delaware County schools, Penncrest came in 1st place at the Pennsylvania statewide Envirothon competition in 2023, and took 2nd place nationally, beating out hundreds of schools from all fifty states that competed at the local, state, and national competitions.
“Penncrest’s consistent performance and dedication to the Envirothon are truly commendable,” said Delaware County Council Member Elaine Paul Schaefer. “Their achievements reflect the hard work and passion of both the students and their advisors, and we are incredibly proud of their success.”
Led by their teacher advisor, Mark Samilenko, the 2024 Penncrest Gold Team members include Jordan Knox, Leo Ouyang, Lucy DiGuiseppe, Teddy Beshara, and Kayra Sacan. Kudos to these talented students for their dedication and hard work!
Coordinated annually by the DCCD, the Delaware County Envirothon brings together high school students from across the county to test their knowledge of natural resource concepts. The County competition, held at Ridley Creek State Park, featured representatives from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry, USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, who oversaw testing stations and shared their career experiences with the students.
About the Delaware County Conservation District
The DCCD's mission is to ensure the wise use of Delaware County’s natural resources and to protect and restore the natural environment through the conservation of its soil, water, and related resources. Supported by its Board of Directors, the DCCD achieves its goals through permitting programs delegated by the PA Department of Environmental Protection and various education and outreach efforts.
“The Delaware County Envirothon is an excellent opportunity for students to get outside and learn about the natural world around them,” said Karen Wilwol, Executive Director of DCCD. “By exposing students to natural resource concepts and potential career paths in the environmental field, we hope to foster an awareness of conservation efforts and encourage future stewardship of our natural resources.”
Delaware County Schools: Get Involved for 2025!
DCCD welcomes all Delaware County high schools to participate in the 2025 competition. For more information, schools should contact the Delaware County Conservation District at (610) 892-9484. Recruitment for next year’s competition will begin at the end of the 2024 calendar year. Registration information will be sent out in Spring of 2025.
More information can be found on the PA Envirothon website: https://www.envirothonpa.org.