Pam Dudding-Burch
Contributing writer
Craig County students currently taking Agricultural appear to be beyond excited about their upcoming Envirothon competition, sponsored by the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation District. Many spent part of their spring break learning from Drew Phipps, a current Virginia Tech Grad School student.
On Thursday, April 12, several students entered a study of natural resources competition, guided by their teacher, Lara Edwards, Craig’s Middle and High School Agriculture Teacher.
Over spring break, Edwards arranged a study for her students to prepare for the competition. Hunter Brizendine, Brianna Charlton and Meaghan Looney learned quite much from Drew Phipps, a Virginia Tech graduate student in Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation.
Once Edwards connected with Phipps, she asked him if he would mind helping her students.
“Drew is on my Agriculture Education Advisory Board and competed in Envirothon and other future Farmers of America (FFA) competitions when in high school,” Edwards said.
Edwards also explained that there are five divisions of competition the students will be participating in: Aquatics, Soils, Wildlife, Forestry and a unique topic which is related to conservation and involves current agricultural issues such as invasive species, pasture management and others.
“Any high school student is eligible to participate. It’s completely team based, so they work through the material together,” she added.
