SUMMIT STATION - A warm spring day had students from 10 schools outside learning about the environment for the 33rd annual Schuylkill County Envirothon.
About 250 students on 40 different teams demonstrated how much they knew about five topics: wildlife, forestry, aquatics, soils and nonpoint pollution/low impact development.
Nonpoint source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving from one location to another and ends up in bodies of water, carrying pollutants with it, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Low-impact development is an approach to land development that seeks to work with nature to address stormwater as close to its source as possible, according to the EPA.
"Awareness will lead to appreciation and appreciation leads to actions to help our environment," said Patrick M. "Porcupine Pat" McKinney, the environmental education coordinator for the Schuylkill Conservation District.
Participating schools were Blue Mountain, Saint Clair Area, Assumption BVM, Pine Grove Area, Mahanoy Area, North Schuylkill, St. Ambrose School, Tamaqua Area, Tri-Valley and Pottsville Area.
Students were in groups according to schools and grade levels. The "snoops" were students in elementary schools, "investigators" were middle-school students and those in high school were called "scientists."
Each of the five stations was worth 100 points.
A Blue Mountain team took top honors again this year and will represent Schuylkill County in the state envirothon May 22 and 23 at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown.
"Blue Mountain has gone to states since 1987," said Glenn Luckenbill, a director with the Schuylkill Conservation District, which coordinates the event. The Schuylkill County Municipal Authority sponsors the event.
The five students of Blue Mountain Team 1 Depredation Nation were happy to win.
"State competition is a lot tougher," said Emily Stemmler, 18.
Students from Blue Mountain said they have been practicing five days a week for months.
Awards were also given out in other categories.
Schuylkill County Commissioner Gary Hess, a district director, said the lessons learned by the students are valuable and that taking care of the environment is essential.
"We('ve) got to learn to be stewards of our environment ... in return, it will take care of us," he said.