LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Underground and among the trees were a few of the places students looked for answers in nature at Camp Kresge in Dennison Township.
"The Envirothon, the program actually brings together high school students who have a strong interest in the environment and natural resource conservation," said Keith George, the special project coordinator for the Luzerne Conservation District.
This was the final test these students have been preparing for all year.
"It's a lot of prep work. Our advisor, Mr. Meal, he does hold study sessions after school for Envirothon, stuff like that, and you have a lot of materials there, such as the thing you're using to measure the tree. We have that at MMI and use that to practice. So, it's just a bunch of group study sessions and individual studies as well," said Cedrah Abdulrahman from Hazleton.
At Envirothon, students are tested on current events, forestry aquatics, wildlife, and soil.
"With the dirt, we had to do with the different topsoils, and then we had to figure out which levels in the test packet would be able to run off better and absorb," Cassidy Clymo said.
Students say a lot of things inspired them to join the club: their friends, a reason to get out of the classroom, and their interest in the environment.
Organizers with the Luzerne Conservation District hope it inspires their actions and interests after high school.
"I think students should take pride in the education and knowledge and awareness they have of the environment around them," George said. "We hope that the environmental program initiates an interest in students to pursue a career in environmental and natural resource conservation. Help us protect the resources or, at the very, very least, help us in that mission."