For a few of South’s science students, their knowledge of nature has provided them with an opportunity to go to what is known as the EcoMeet.

“The EcoMeet is a competition where a bunch of people from around the state get together and test their knowledge about Kansas plants and animals,” junior Madi Goerz said.

The competition is an opportunity for students to get awards.

“I was in the EcoMeet and I won a couple of gold medals in regionals and one silver,” Goerz said.”Then I went to state and I won first place in the tall grass prairie test and second place in the invertebrate test and then second place for overall team.”

Students enter to build their knowledge of nature in Kansas.

“I like the competition,” environmental education teacher PJ Born said. “I like that the students learn a whole lot about the Kansas plants and animals you know, you’re kind of forced to learn a lot if you want to have success when you’re competing against you know all the other students in the Johnson County area, if we make it to set then you’re competing against a bunch of students within the state so it’s fun to be a part of the competition and it’s fun to see how much you learn because you’re kinda forced to learn.”

The event takes competitors to a variety of nature centers and other locations where they can learn more and more.

“The regionals have always been held at Ernie Miller,” PJ Born said. “It’s kind of set up for mostly Johnson County schools, although sometimes school from outside Johnson County come and compete cause there’s normally ten different regionals around the state and then we’ve gone to the Cheyenne Bottoms, we’ve gone to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, We’ve gone to Rock Springs , and life a 4H camp, Camp Wood, those are just some of the places I remember.

For Goerz, this competition is a memorable experience.

“The second [competition] was in Cheyenne Bottoms,” Goerz said. “It was at Camp Aldrich, which is pretty cool, we got to stay in a cabin that was out in the middle of nowhere. On our way over there we met a nice family of cowboys in a gas station. It was interesting.”