Envirothon teams train at Cypress Cove

By Staff
Melissa Cason
RED BAY – Franklin County Envirothon teams headed back to the farm Thursday for their training day for the upcoming Envirothon competition in March.
Teams from across the county assembled at Cypress Cove Farm, also known as the outdoor classroom, to train for the upcoming competition. Students from Russellville, East Franklin, Belgreen, Red Bay, Vina and Tharptown, along with Cherokee, assembled to train in their specialized area for the competition.
"Each team member specializes in one area, and they come together for the presentation part of the competition," District Conservationist for Natural Resources Conservation Services Jamie Carpenter said.
The students trained in five different areas: current issues, wildlife, forestry, aquatic ecology and soils. The students were also trained in presentation skills during the training day at the farm.
Instructors for the day included Joel Pounders from Pilgrim's Pride, R.J. Moore from TVA, Damien Simbeck from TVA, Milton Tuck from NRCS and Charley Meek from Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D).
Envirothon gives students who excel in science the opportunity to compete in local competitions as well as state and national competitions.
The winner of the Franklin County Envirothon will go on to compete in the state competition later this spring, and the winner of the state competition will compete on the national level.
The Belgreen Envirothon team won the local and state competition last year, and the team flew to Phoenix for the national competition last summer.
The Franklin County Envirothon is sponsored by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Alabama Forestry Commission, Burger King, CB&S Bank, First Metro Bank, Franklin County Cattleman's Association, Franklin County Extension Service, SWCD, Jacks of Russellville, Johnny Mack Morrow, McDonalds of Russellville, NRCS, Pilgrim's Pride, RC&D, TVA, Valley State Bank and Frito Lay.