Three Mount Mercy Academy students, two juniors and a sophomore, recently represented the school in the Erie County Envirothon. This was the school’s first year participating in the competition, and the team earned a $250 scholarship for their efforts.
Representing Mount Mercy were juniors Aubrey Monaco of Buffalo and Melina Courtney of Elma, and sophomore Alie Reid of Gowanda. Not only did the team compete for the first time, all three of the students were on Distance Learning this year, limiting their ability to meet and work on the project in person. They worked independently and were able to achieve success in their initial foray.
There are two parts to the competition, solving a problem and completing a test of environmental knowledge. In the first part, students present a solution to a “board of townspeople.” This year, students were presented with a water consumption issue: A soda factory proposing to build in a farming community. Details like depth to ground water and water consumption of farmers and homeowners were presented. Members of the team also had to take a test on wildlife, aquatics, soils and land use, and forestry. This year the team took its test via Zoom.
Leigh High, head of Mount Mercy’s Science Department, worked with the team this year and is confident that this experience, as well as the addition of a few more members, will benefit the team in 2022.
