Vista del Lago and Cordova High win big in El Dorado Forestry Challenge
The teams from Vista won first place and fifth place out of the 20 teams in the competition. Cordova won second place in the Pacing Contest and received two Four-Year Participation Awards for seniors Joi Jacobs and Jonae Curry.
"Our students continue to have an amazing experience while job-shadowing foresters at this event, and even the rain this year did not dampen their enthusiasm," said Cordova High School teacher Bret Harnden.
Joi Jacobs, a senior at Cordova High School, summed it up: "This experience has improved my teamwork skills, my confidence, and presentation skills. It was very fun and a great four-year experience."
One of the highlights for the students this year was learning how to conduct a "Brown's Transect", a method to quantify woody debris on the forest floor. The study area was the site of a fuels reduction project in 2008. Students entered the data into a fire behavior computer modeling program to determine optimum conditions under which to conduct a prescribed burn in the project area. During the Challenge, teams of students also completed field training, followed by a field test, to assess their technical forestry knowledge and data collecting skills.
"Students get the opportunity to collect real data and apply their findings. This is real learning," said Vista Del Lago High School teacher Kim Moore.
"The Forestry Challenge is the perfect event for any student who is a hands-on learner, such as myself," said Alec Morris, a senior at Vista Del Lago High School. "It is a great opportunity for students to learn and apply their knowledge in a practical setting."
Find out more from the Grapevine Independent here