Brockton High School Competes at Massachusetts Envirothon

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

Brockton High School Envirothon team at the 2023 Massachusetts Envirothon.

On Thursday, May 25, nine Brockton High School students put their natural resources knowledge to the (hands-on, collaborative) test at the 2023 Massachusetts Envirothon. Congratulations to all the students for making their Brockton and Wildlands Trust communities proud! 

Twenty-five teams representing 18 high schools across the state converged on Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park in Uxbridge for this year’s competition. Each team was tested in five environmental areas: Forest, Wildlife, Water, Soil, and Current Issue. This year’s current issue, Climate Change in our Community, called on each team to present about the climate stressors facing their own neighborhoods, and potential ways to reduce and adapt to them. Across two teams, the Brockton students proposed interdisciplinary solutions to rival the multifaceted climate impacts in their city. One team highlighted the potential for green roofs to address flooding risk, food insecurity, and even human conflicts with Canada Geese. The other focused on improving the gateway city’s access to local, sustainably sourced food.  

Brockton High School students present about local climate impacts and solutions at the Envirothon.

Prior to the day’s events, two key figures in the Massachusetts natural resources sector addressed the students in attendance. “You are the next generation of leaders in our community,” said Brian Arrigo, commissioner of the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation. Rebecca Tepper, secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, added, “The one thing you can do [about climate change] is work in this field.” 

Wildlands Trust has coached and sponsored the Brockton High School Envirothon team since 2015. Rachel Bruce, Wildlands’ Director of Special Projects, coaches the team alongside Brockton High School biology teacher Melissa Kelly and Manomet education manager Clare Cunningham.  

Wildlands was particularly well represented at this year’s competition, as our president, Karen Grey, also served as a judge! 

Congratulations again to the Brockton High School students on an impressive showing, including a fifth-place finish in Forestry! Additional kudos to the graduating seniors, who can now proudly say they measured water quality, estimated tree height, tested soil in a five-foot hole, and identified insect species—all on the day of their senior prom! 

To learn more about Wildlands Trust’s Brockton High School Envirothon initiative, visit wildlandstrust.org/envirothon. 

Click through the slideshow below to see more photos from the 2023 competition.

Wildlands Trust and Partners Receive NOAA Funding for Outdoor Learning and Climate Literacy in Brockton

Adapted from a press release originally written by Emily Renaud, Senior Manager, Communications, Manomet

One of nine projects funded by NOAA’s Environmental Literacy program, the new Brockton Kids Lead the Way initiative aims to foster city students’ connection to nature.

BROCKTON, MA — This fall, Wildlands Trust, Manomet, and Brockton Public Schools will launch Brockton Kids Lead the Way, an ambitious education initiative designed to boost climate resilience and environmental stewardship in the city of Brockton, Massachusetts.

This work is made possible thanks to a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Environmental Literacy Program, and it is one of nine projects chosen to receive funding to advance climate resilience through education in the U.S. this year.

Manomet and its partners will use the funding to design and build outdoor learning spaces in collaboration with teachers at three elementary schools in the city of Brockton, Massachusetts, home to a diverse, urban community. Once the learning spaces are built, students at participating schools will receive a year of outdoor education programming. They will also participate in environmental monitoring at their school, contributing to community science at a local level and fostering a connection to the natural world.

Nicole Mejia and Stevenson Tran, Envirothon 2017

“This program is about helping students feel connected to the outdoors and empowered to take action as environmental stewards in their own communities,” says Molly Jacobs, Vice President of Environmental Education and Outreach at Manomet. “And it’s also about long-term support for Brockton schools and teachers. We look forward to using NOAA funds to improve environmental and climate literacy in Brockton through these new outdoor learning spaces and programming.”

Teachers will receive resources and materials to support use of the outdoor learning spaces long after the program concludes. At the end of the academic year, Brockton Kids Lead the Way will culminate with an outdoor learning celebration at each school, where parents and community members will be invited to visit the space and learn about students’ work.

Manthala George Jr. Global Studies Elementary School will be the first school to participate in the program.

"We are excited for this partnership to bring a new outdoor learning space to over 800 students at the George School,” says Natalie L. Pohl, Principal of Manthala George Jr. Global Studies Elementary School. “Outdoor learning gives students the ability to apply concepts learned inside the classroom to the real world. Especially in this digital era, it is important for students to be able to engage with the environment firsthand to better understand the natural world and develop a deeper respect for their environment."

With its expertise in providing better access to nature, Wildlands Trust will lead the installation of the outdoor learning spaces developed through the program. Wildlands Trust and Manomet are also collaborating on a community-driven project to revitalize D.W. Field Park, an urban greenspace managed by the City of Brockton's Department of Parks and Recreation.

“Wildlands Trust has been working with government, neighborhood associations, schools, and youth services groups in Brockton for the past decade,” says Karen Grey, President and Executive Director of Wildlands Trust. “We are really excited to be a partner in this innovative initiative that will bring financial resources to the city schools while providing meaningful opportunities for kids to connect with nature.”

Partners at Sea Grant, a federal/university partnership between NOAA and 34 university-based programs across the U.S., will lead a climate resilience workshop for teachers and project staff each summer while TERC, a research-based education nonprofit, will evaluate the program's overall effectiveness.

“This program looks at the bigger picture and sets teachers and their students up for success for the long haul,” adds Jacobs. “Instead of just providing educational programs and reaching one set of students in one year, we’re investing in outdoor learning and environmental education. This amplifies our impact to reach a whole generation and creates climate resilience in Brockton for years to come.”