WARSAW —  A team of five Warsaw Community High School students recently placed 6th overall at the NCF Envirothon, held at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta.

Envirothon is an international competition focused on environmental and natural resource conservation, where students develop and present solutions to pressing environmental issues.

Having already secured regional and state titles earlier this year, the team, made up of recent WCHS graduates Sydney Clark and Evan Hand, rising senior Titiksha Gorhe, and rising juniors Kevin Gough and Sean Smith, went on to represent Indiana against 51 teams from across the U.S., Canadian provinces, and China during the week-long event.

Students participated in intensive field trainings across five key areas: Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, Wildlife, and the Current Issue of "Roots and Resiliency." These trainings were followed by rigorous written and hands-on testing.

One of the most challenging components of the competition was a 20-minute oral presentation, for which students developed a detailed forest management plan titled “Forestry for the Future.” The team completed this during a six-hour sequestration with no internet access or outside assistance.

Team member Titiksha Gorhe reflected, “The most challenging part was creating the oral presentation while being sequestered for six hours. Our ability to stay focused as a team and play off each other’s strengths was really tested under the time crunch.”

Team captain Sydney Clark added, “Creating a successful oral presentation requires integrating everything you’ve learned from all the subject areas into one practical and complex plan.”

Their preparation and teamwork paid off. Their oral presentation earned the 4th-highest score overall, and their consistently strong scores across all five resource areas secured Indiana’s first Top 10 finish in many years.

Students also had the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Banff National Park and build friendships with peers from across North America and China. The breathtaking landscapes of the Canadian Rockies, along with sightings of bighorn sheep, mule deer, and jackrabbits, offered a stunning contrast to Indiana’s scenery.

The team extends heartfelt thanks to the community organizations and individuals who helped make this experience possible, including Kosciusko Soil and Water Conservation District, The Watershed Foundation, Warsaw Kiwanis Club, Arrowhead RC&D, Nicodemus Cards and Gaming, and Lewis Salvage, as well as numerous individuals who contributed their time, resources, and expertise for their support.

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The Warsaw Panthera team (seniors Sydney Clark and Evan Hand, junior Titiksha Gorhe, and sophomores Kevin Gough and Sean Smith) had an impressive 86 on the written test (next closest score was a 77), including perfect scores in Wildlife and Forestry.

In a tension-filled final score tally, they came out on top and will be representing Indiana at the NCF Envirothon in Calgary, Alberta, in July.

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WARSAW — Warsaw Community Schools congratulates 7th grader Owen Aukeman and 8th grader Kevin Gough from Edgewood Middle School for their exceptional representation of Indiana and WCS at the National History Day national contest.

The prestigious event took place at the University of Maryland from June 12 to June 15, attracting over 2,600 students from across the United States and international schools.

National History Day, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to enhancing the teaching and learning of history, selected "Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas" as the theme for this year's contest.

Owen Aukeman presented his award-winning website titled "The First Modern Battleship," which secured first place in the state competition held in April.

Kevin Gough competed in the individual presentation category, impressing judges with his state-winning project "Wabash Indiana and the Frontier of Electric Lights." The event provided them with the opportunity to meet talented students from various backgrounds, explore historic sites in our nation's capital, and even meet Indiana senators at the Capitol building.

The success of Owen and Kevin at the National History Day national contest is a testament to their dedication, hard work, and the support they received from the Edgewood social studies department and librarian Susan Eberhardt. Their guidance and inspiration played a crucial role in preparing the students for this esteemed competition.

Warsaw Community Schools commends Owen Aukeman and Kevin Gough for their outstanding achievements and for representing WCS with distinction.

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