The five-student team from Hastings High School, led by teacher Melissa Shandroff, placed 5th among the 48 teams from around the state that competed in the 2012 New York State Envirothon held at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York on May 23.
The Hastings team advanced to the statewide Envirothon after topping 10 other Westchester high school teams at April's Hudson Valley Envirothon competition at which they were tested on topics such as aquatics, soil, forestry and wildlife. At that regional competition, held in Fishkill, the Hasting team came in 4th among the 30 high schools that competed.
"The Hasting High School team exemplifies the high quality of student achievement we have come to expect from the schools in Westchester County," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "It is quite an achievement to place 5th when competing against 48 teams from throughout the state."
The Envirothon's primary goal is to encourage students to learn about becoming good environmental stewards of the land. The team members competing were: Bernice Tompkins, Lydia Lichtiger, Veronica Erdman, Clara Weinstein and Ariadne Bozigos.
The Mount Academy team of Orange County placed first, for the second year in a row, at the New York State Envirothon.
The Hudson Valley regional competition was co-sponsored by the Westchester County Department of Planning and the county's Soil and Water Conservation District.
Photo (l-r): Ariadne Bazigos, Lydia Lichtiger, Berenice Tompkins, Veronica Erdman, Clara Weinstein