The Northwest Ohio Area 1 Envirothon returns to Allen County for a day of scientific challenges for high school students from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday, April 24, at the shared Lima campus of The Ohio State University and Rhodes State College. 215 competitors are registered. 

The Envirothon is a nationwide high school competition that takes place every year where students come together as school teams to compete in a scientific challenge testing their knowledge on four topics -- soils, water, forestry, and a special topic that is different each year. The theme for this year’s competition is “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future” and the 2024 scientific challenges are wildlife, forestry, aquatics, and soils.  

Scientific challenges will take place on campus in locations in and around the Ohio State Lima regenerative farm and prairie, and in the Tecumseh Natural Area. Registration and orientation will be held in the northwest corner of lot C near the Student Services Center. Lunch and awards are in the Cook Hall Gym.

Area 1 includes schools from the following counties: Allen, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Marion, Morrow, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, Wood and Wyandot.  2024 is the first year since the early 1990s that Allen County has hosted the Area 1 competition. The host agency is the Allen Soil and Water Conservation District.

Agenda

8:30-9:00 a.m           Registration

9:00-9:15 a.m.          Orientation

9:20-9:55 a.m.          Session 1

10:00-10:35 a.m.      Session 2

10:40-11:15 a.m.      Session 3

11:20-11:55 a.m.      Session 4

Noon-12:45 p.m.      Lunch in Cook Hall Gym

12:45-1:00 p.m.        Awards ceremony in Cook Hall Gym

Winners from the area competition will move on to the state contest. Those winners will compete in the national Envirothon. 

The onsite contact for Allen Soil and Water Conservation District is Lydia Archambo, ASWCD stormwater coordinator and executive director of the Ottawa River Coalition.