HJ16: Commending the Fort Defiance High School Envirothon team.
WHEREAS, Virginia was represented at the 2005 Canon Envirothon, held July 19-24, 2005, in Springfield, Missouri, by a team of exemplary students from Fort Defiance High School in the Augusta County public school system; and
WHEREAS, the resourceful and talented students on the Virginia team were Jared Knicley, Kate Abshire, Whitney Hawkins, Ryan Bugas, and Ali Fitzgerald and their advisors were Brent Hull and Eric Stogdale; and
WHEREAS, the team was sponsored by the Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Virginia Manufacturers Association Outreach Group, the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund, and Philip Morris, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, the 2005 Canon Envirothon is North America's largest high school environmental education competition and offers students a unique exposure to diverse ecosystems and an opportunity to interact with other students who share their passion for the environment; and
WHEREAS, winning teams from participating states and provinces from the United States and Canada compete for recognition and scholarships by demonstrating their knowledge of environmental science and natural resource management; and
WHEREAS, each team consists of five high school students who use their problem-solving skills in a competition centered on four testing categories--soils/land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, and wildlife, as well as an exercise involving a current environmental issue; and
WHEREAS, the knowledgeable Fort Defiance High School Envirothon team won second place in the challenging competition, and each team member received a $4,000 scholarship; and
WHEREAS, the outstanding performance of the Fort Defiance High School Envirothon team members is a tribute to the perseverance, talent, and teamwork of the members, the leadership of the advisory staff, and the support of the parents, teachers, and administrators of Fort Defiance High School; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate the Fort Defiance High School Envirothon team for brilliantly representing the Commonwealth at the 2005 Canon Envirothon; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Fort Defiance High School Envirothon team as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for their hard work and dedication to the study of the environment.