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The Spruce Mountain High School Dirt Divas visited a bald cypress swamp at the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Mississippi while preparing for the National Conservation Foundation International Envirothon. In front, from left, are Aubry Mitchell and adviser Ken Baker; second row, Erin Chen, chaperone Ann Schwab, Jaycie Paine and Emma Furka; third row, adviser Rob Taylor and Natasha McDonald. (Courtesy of Rob Taylor)

JAY — Spruce Mountain High School’s Dirt Divas scored 97 out of 100 and placed third in aquatic ecology at the National Conservation Foundation International Envirothon, held July 19-25 at Mississippi State University.

The Regional School Unit 73 team represented Maine after winning the state Envirothon championship May 29. Forty-two championship teams from the U.S. and Canada competed in aquatic ecology, forestry, soil and land use, wildlife management and this year’s current issue, nonpoint source pollution.

The Dirt Divas of Spruce Mountain High School in Jay explore a wetland habitat in Mississippi in late July. Team members Jaycie Paine, Erin Chen, Natasha McDonald, Aubrey Mitchell and Emma Furka, represented Maine at the National Conservation Foundation International Envirothon at Mississippi State University in Starkville. (Courtesy of Rob Taylor)

The team’s success in aquatic ecology followed extensive local experience with water testing, watershed surveys and invasive species monitoring. Members have worked with the Livermore Falls Water District and Maine Lake Stewards, participated in the Friends of Wilson Lake’s 2024 watershed survey and served as courtesy boat inspectors at Clearwater Lake.

All five team members are juniors: Erin Chen, Emma Furka, Natasha McDonald, Aubrey Mitchell and Jaycie Paine. Spruce Mountain High School science teachers Rob Taylor and Ken Baker serve as advisers. Spruce Mountain Middle School Restorative Program teacher Ann Schwab accompanied the team as a chaperone.

The Dirt Divas of Spruce Mountain High School in Jay visit a bald cypress swamp at the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Starkville, Miss., in late July. Team members, from left, Erin Chen, Aubrey Mitchell, Jaycie Paine, Emma Furka, Natasha McDonald, and represented Maine at the National Conservation Foundation International Envirothon at Mississippi State University in Starkville. (Courtesy of Rob Taylor)

To prepare for the competition, the students and advisers studied more than 700 pages of materials about Mississippi’s ecology and natural resources. They also developed and presented a practice proposal addressing protection of the Noxubee River and received feedback from Maine natural resource professionals.

The team met three or four days a week during the summer, Taylor said. Students also visited the Plymouth Bluff Environmental Education Center, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge before the competition.

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“This was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire year,” Paine said. “The trip taught me that it is not always about winning but rather doing the best you possibly can.”

McDonald said seeing trees such as loblolly pine and bald cypress in person helped the team prepare in a way that studying photographs could not. Mitchell said leadership and communication were important as the team worked together to solve environmental problems.

The team did not place as highly in the other categories, but its members are looking forward to returning to Envirothon next year. They also plan to continue water-quality monitoring, courtesy boat inspections and other natural resource work.

The program is planning additional public outreach events similar to its past appearances at Farmington Fair Education Day and the Apple Pumpkin Festival.

The Dirt Divas of Spruce Mountain High School in Jay, from left, Aubrey Mitchell, Jaycie Paine, Emma Furka, Natasha McDonald and Erin Chen, attend the National Conservation Foundation International Envirothon at Mississippi State University in Starkville in late July. They represented Maine and placed third in aquatic ecology. (Courtesy of Rob Taylor)
The Dirt Divas of Spruce Mountain High School in Jay visit Bluff Lake at the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Starkville, Miss., in late July. The team, from left, Jaycie Paine, Emma Furka, Aubrey Mitchell, Natasha McDonald and Erin Chen, represented Maine at the National Conservation Foundation International Envirothon. (Courtesy of Rob Taylor)

Rebecca Richard is a reporter for the Franklin Journal. She graduated from the University of Maine after studying literature and writing. She is a small business owner, wife of 33 years and mom of eight...

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