Student compete in Environthon, career development events

NHS teams placed first and fourth at the 2012 Oregon Canon Envirothon held at the Oregon Gardens in Silverton on May 4th. The Environthon is a comprehensive environmental/natural resources competition in soils, land use, ecology, aquatics, forestry, wildlife and a current environmental issue. This year the issue is "Nonpoint Source Pollution/Low Impact Development". Newberg took two teams, one in the "open category" and one "FFA only". Their first place presentation was a plan for a Local Improvement District for the Cultural District in downtown Newberg

Newberg placed first in the Open Category, qualifying the team for competition at the North American Environthon in Pennsylvania in July. The team placed first in the soils, aquatics, current events segment of the contest. Team members are Brennan VandenHoek, Aaron Morland, Jacob Volkman, Brian Fortner and Rachel Brock.

In the FFA Category, the Newberg team placed third and placed fourth overall. Team members are Mackenzie Gunn, Serena Alsteen, Emily Marble, Lillia Huiras and Marissa Heckman.

FFA students also participated in Career Development Events at Oregon State University:

• Crops/Agronomy - 2nd place State. Team members are: Mackenzie Gunn (1st overall), Margaret Halstead (7th overall), Josh Brown, Beau Svendsen, and Andrew Comfort
• Ag Mechanics - 5th place State. Team members are: Ben Fleming (10th overall), Liz Mingay, Austin Collins, Dan Womack, and Andrew Heesacker
• Dairy Evaluation Team: Tia Piscitelli, Brayden Camarena, Katie Noragon
• Poultry Evaluation Team: Josh Brown, Beau Svendsen, John Jensen, Tim Lane, Rebecca Green