When Ben Woodward (BES ’24) and Ella Williamson joined their high school Ontario Envirothon teams, it wasn’t part of a big plan to pursue environmental sciences. Instead, they were encouraged by passionate teachers to get involved. Those initial experiences in fieldwork turned out to be life-changing.
Ontario Envirothon is a distinctive academic competition focused on the environment, organized by Forests Canada in collaboration with various universities and organizations across the province. It provides young environmental leaders an opportunity to explore education and career options in the natural sciences. The University of Waterloo has been a proud partner and host of this competition for the last eight years.
For many students like Woodward and Williamson, hands-on experiences with forests, soils, wildlife, and aquatic ecosystems had a profound impact.
“It really opened up my world in Grade 9,” says Woodward. “I liked nature, but I didn’t really know how to describe anything about it. I participated all four years of high school, and I got to go to the provincials twice. I made a lot of good friends through that from all over the province.”
Ben Woodward (middle) with his high school Ontario Envirothon team. From left to right, the team members are Thomas Li, [redacted], Ben Woodward, Nikita Serikov, and Matthew Woodward (my brother). Thomas and Matthew attended the University of Waterloo.
This early exposure to environmental sciences inspired both students to enroll at the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment. They quickly realized just how much their experience prepared them for success in higher education.
“My first field course, ENVS 200 – Field Ecology, I couldn’t believe I knew this stuff because I went to Envirothon,” says Williamson. “I knew how to identify trees and how to use some of the equipment. It was crazy how helpful it was in university, and I am grateful for it every day.”
Today, Williamson is a fourth-year student focused on conservation and restoration work in the field. After landing a co-op position with the Ecology Lab, she began volunteering at regional and provincial events.
Williamson volunteering as a presentation judge at the 2024 Ontario Envirothon Provincial Competition on campus.
“It was really full circle going from learning how to use soil measurement instruments to teaching other students how to do it and reassuring them that they are doing great,” she says.
Like Williamson, Woodward has also been an enthusiastic volunteer; he often helps with aquatics categories and serves as a presentation judge. After graduating from the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, he is now pursuing graduate studies in the Faculty of Science focusing on coastal change and erosion due to climate impacts. He credits Ontario Envirothon as an essential stepping stone.
“I really believe in these academic competitions. They’re low cost, equitable, and let students distinguish themselves on university applications. Envirothon is a big reason I earned an entrance scholarship.”
Eager to inspire future generations about environmental issues, Woodward hopes to become a teacher one day; he’s recently been accepted into teacher’s college while Williamson aims for hands-on work in her field. Both are looking forward excitedly as the competition returns to Waterloo due its impressive variety of natural features like Laurel Creek winding through former agricultural lands alongside urban forests.
The close proximity allows students easy access between competition stations within minutes-no need for buses or distant sites!
Additonally there’s also Ecology Lab-a key resource within Faculty of Environment-that supports lab activities along with courses projects outreach initiatives including Ontario Envirothon itself.
“Obviously they have lots of samples,” says Woodward. “If we’re doing training day for regional Envirothon we can show students all kinds different benthic invertebrates tree samples their library guidebooks-it’s very rare collection super high-quality resources ecology environmental studies.”
This will be available 525 students both regional provincial competitions spring latest Waterloo effort lead sustainability research education where Faculty Environment catalyst innovation solutions talent developed world world.
Photo Credit: Forests Canada, Ben Woodward Ella Williamson.
Source link
Williamson volunteering as a presentation judge at the 2024 Ontario Envirothon Provincial Competition on campus.
“It was really full circle going from learning how to use soil measurement instruments to teaching other students how to do it and reassuring them that they are doing great,” she says.
Like Williamson, Woodward has also been an enthusiastic volunteer; he often helps with aquatics categories and serves as a presentation judge. After graduating from the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, he is now pursuing graduate studies in the Faculty of Science focusing on coastal change and erosion due to climate impacts. He credits Ontario Envirothon as an essential stepping stone.
“I really believe in these academic competitions. They’re low cost, equitable, and let students distinguish themselves on university applications. Envirothon is a big reason I earned an entrance scholarship.”
Eager to inspire future generations about environmental issues, Woodward hopes to become a teacher one day; he’s recently been accepted into teacher’s college while Williamson aims for hands-on work in her field. Both are looking forward excitedly as the competition returns to Waterloo due its impressive variety of natural features like Laurel Creek winding through former agricultural lands alongside urban forests.
The close proximity allows students easy access between competition stations within minutes-no need for buses or distant sites!
Additonally there’s also Ecology Lab-a key resource within Faculty of Environment-that supports lab activities along with courses projects outreach initiatives including Ontario Envirothon itself.
“Obviously they have lots of samples,” says Woodward. “If we’re doing training day for regional Envirothon we can show students all kinds different benthic invertebrates tree samples their library guidebooks-it’s very rare collection super high-quality resources ecology environmental studies.”
This will be available 525 students both regional provincial competitions spring latest Waterloo effort lead sustainability research education where Faculty Environment catalyst innovation solutions talent developed world world.
Photo Credit: Forests Canada, Ben Woodward Ella Williamson.Source link
