State Competition Tests Students’ Plant and Animal Knowledge

PRATT ­­– Think you know Kansas’ flora and fauna inside and out? Would you be willing to put your knowledge to the test? Seventy-nine students from 12 schools across the state did just that during the 17th Annual Kansas ECO-Meet State Finals competition on November 5, and the results were impressive. Held at the Camp Wood YMCA, near Elmdale, the ECO-Meet tested students’ knowledge via a wetlands and aquatic ecosystems test, invertebrates test, live plant scavenger hunt, and an interpretive event.

To compete at the state level, students had to qualify at one of seven regional competitions held in September and October at Milford Nature Center, Lakewood Discovery Center, Dillon Nature Center, Wilson Lake, Great Plains Nature Center, Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, and Ernie Miller Nature Center.

At the state competition, a total of 21 teams participated, along with six students who qualified as individuals in the two test events. Schools represented at the state competition included Clay Center, Goddard, Goessel, Inman, Maize, Miltonvale, Nickerson, Pike Valley, Pratt, Salina South, Shawnee Mission South, St. Mary’s-Colgan of Pittsburg, Tescott, Tonganoxie, Wakefield, and Wilson.

2015 Kansas ECO-Meet State Finals Results are as follows:

Overall Team

1st – Shawnee Mission South High School Team A: Megan Jenkins, Joe Petty, Kara Pringle and team coach PJ Born - $300/student scholarships awarded.

2nd – Goddard HS: Sarah Tomtschick, Clara Towey, Brooke Wentz, Brooke Wetta and team coach Marylee Ramsey - $200/student scholarships awarded.

3rd – Wilson HS Team A: Anna Criswell Aaron Dlabal, Trey Fink, Kyle Goldwater and team coach Melanie Falcon - $100/student scholarships awarded. 

Individual Events

Invertebrates

1st – Joe Petty, Shawnee Mission South High School A - $200 scholarship

2nd – Kara Pringle, Shawnee Mission South High School A - $100 scholarship awarded.

Wetlands/Aquatic Ecosystem

1st – Joe Petty, Shawnee Mission South High School A - $200 scholarship

2nd – Aaron Dlabal, Wilson High School A - $100 scholarship awarded.

For more information on the Kansas ECO-Meet, and to find out how you can get involved, visit www.kansasecomeet.org or contact program coordinator Mike Rader at mike.rader@ksoutdoors.com or (620) 672-0708.