[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 93 (Tuesday, June 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING THE 2012 HIDDEN POND ENVIROTHON TEAM

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                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 19, 2012

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 2012 
Hidden Pond Envirothon Team and congratulate them on achieving Second 
Place in the Virginia State Envirothon Competition.
  The Envirothon Competition promotes problem-solving among high school 
students in the areas of forestry, wildlife, soils, aquatics, and other 
current environmental issues. What is most unique about the competition 
is the opportunity to work in the field with access to actual natural 
resource professionals. The competition aims to foster stewardship, 
improve management concepts and communication skills, and promote 
critical thinking, decision making, and team building.
  This year's members of the Hidden Pond Envirothon Team are Liam 
Berigan (Robinson HS), Matt Baker (W. T. Woodson HS), Murjan Hammad 
(home-schooled), Owan Mulvey-McFerron (W. T. Woodson HS), and Peter 
MacDonald (West Springfield HS), with Coach Neal MacDonald. The team 
won first place in the local Fairfax County Envirothon Competition as 
well as at the Area II Regional Competition. This allowed the team to 
move on to competition at the state level at James Madison University 
in Harrisonburg. While competing against the top 15 teams from across 
Virginia, the Hidden Pond Envirothon Team placed second for the second 
year in a row. This year's oral presentation focus was titled ``Low 
Impact Development and Nonpoint Source Pollution,'' for which the team 
placed first. Hidden Pond also placed first in the wildlife category, 
second place in the aquatics category, and third place in the forestry 
category.
  I would like to offer special thanks to Mike McCaffrey and Jim 
Pomeroy. Mr. McCaffrey has coordinated the Envirothon Program at the 
Hidden Pond Nature Center for many years. His efforts have enabled the 
team to compete at the state level as Hidden Pond is typically the only 
team not sponsored by a high school. Mr. Pomeroy has served as Hidden 
Pond's Site Manager, supporting the Envirothon Team with great 
enthusiasm. Through their commitment and encouragement to this program, 
many of the students have gone on to become local volunteers or work in 
careers focused on protecting the environment.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues join me in congratulating the 2012 
Hidden Pond Envirothon Team for their performance in the Virginia State 
Envirothon Competition.

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