Of the 31…
By Kathianne Boniello
Three Queens high schools ranked high in the city’s sixth annual Envirothon competition and one was slated to represent the borough at the statewide contest next month, a spokesman for the city Soil and Water Conservation District said Tuesday.
Of the 31 teams from throughout the city that participated in this year’s Envirothon in Manhattan, Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside ranked second in the tournament and was scheduled to go on to the state competition in May, said Kaled Alamarie, Envirothon coordinator.
Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood and John Bowne High School in Flushing also placed among the top seven schools in the contest, which pitted five-member teams from 27 schools against each other in a variety of categories, Alamarie said.
From aquatic and wildlife to soil and forests, the students battled in scenarios that challenged them to face today’s environmental problems, such as ways to reduce water pollution and how to pay for it. Challenges also included multiple choice quizzes and putting students in role-playing scenarios.
The three Queens teams also participated in last year’s competition and in 2000 both Bowne and Cleveland sent two teams each.
The Envirothon, which last year was held at the Alley Pond Environmental Center in Douglaston, was sponsored by the Soil and Water Conservation District, the Central Park Conservancy, and Con Edison. The competition actually began in the late 1970s and was first held in Philadelphia.
Louis Rana, a spokeswoman for Con Edison, praised the Envirothon in a statement.
“The New York City Envirothon is an excellent opportunity to instill in our youngsters a sense of responsibility and satisfaction in helping make the world we live in environmentally sound,” she said. “Our company is proud to sponsor the environmental leaders of the future.”
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
