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The
ECO-MEET
Mission |
"To challenge and
inspire an interest, appreciation and understanding of the natural sciences and the Kansas
environment thru interscholastic competition." |
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WATCH THE VIDEO!
To see our promotional video, with scenes from previous ECO-MEETS and comments from
teachers and students, or to watch a recording of previous interpretive
competitions,
contact your regional coordinator!
Videos are available in DVD or VHS
format
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| Location of the ECO-MEETS for 2010
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REGIONAL
CONTACTS & 2010 REGIONAL DATES
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KANSAS ECO-MEET CALENDAR:
Nine regional ECO-MEETs are scheduled for 2010.
The 2010 KANSAS STATE ECO-MEET
will be held on:
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What's an ECO-MEET, you say?
Imagine a competition where knowledge of Kansas' wildlife
and plants is the key to success!
The ECO-MEETs offer a chance for the most naturally-qualified high
school students
to show what they know and win scholarships. Participants are tested in four areas:
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 | Habitat - tests integrated knowledge of specific Kansas
habitat types. The topic area for 2009 is Tallgrass Prairie. |
| Focus test - tests knowledge of one particular group of animals. For
2009 and 2010 the focus topic will be Kansas Reptiles and Amphibians. |
Both of these
are lab-type tests. |
Taking the Quiz - photo by Tom Hein
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| Scavenger Hunt
- ability to locate and identify various natural
objects.
This part takes place outside and mainly tests the ability to identify native plants.
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| Interpretation
- ability to communicate ideas to an audience. |
It's more than a skit
and less than a speech,
with elements of both
- and a lot of fun! |
Natural foods?! - photo by Tom Hein
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Both team and
individual effort are recognized by giving college scholarships to
the members of the top three teams and to the top two individuals in the ecosystem
and focus tests. |
A little background:
The first ECO-MEETS were held by the Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1976.
ECO-MEETS are still being held there and the concept has spread to Illinois, Georgia,
Maryland and Kansas. Kansas
ECO-MEET History:
| The Kansas ECO-MEETS began in 1991 at
the Milford
Nature Center near Junction City. The Milford ECO-MEET draws teams from schools
in the adjacent ten-county area. It became so successful that other areas began
having them. |
| 1999 was the first year in Kansas where
more than one area had an ECO-MEET. One was held at Wilson State Park near Russell
and one was held at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita. This made it
necessary to have a statewide contest to decide who had the best team! |
| In 2000, the number of regional
ECO-MEETS more than doubled to seven. In addition to Wichita, Milford and Wilson,
new ECO-MEETS were held at Lake Scott, Hays, Hutchinson and Kirwin National Wildlife
Refuge. (This was the only year for the Lake Scott event.) |
| In 2001, three new ECO-MEETS were held
at Pittsburg, Salina and Pratt, bringing the total to nine. |
| In 2002, there were eight regionals
ECO-MEETS. |
| In 2003, nine regional ECO-MEETS were
held as we welcomed Hays back and a new regional at Garden City. |
| In 2004, a new ECO-MEET was held in NW
Kansas at the Smoky Valley Ranch.
Nine total regional ECO-MEETS were held. |
| In 2005, a new ECO-MEET was held in
Kansas City at the F.L. Schlagle Library at Wyandotte County Lake. Eight total
regional ECO-MEETS were held. |
| In 2006, seven regional ECO-MEETS were
held. |
| In 2007, seven regional ECO-MEETS were
held and we welcomed back the event at Greenbush in Southeast Kansas. |
| In 2008, eight regional ECO-MEETS were
held, including a new event in Olathe! |
| In 2009, eight regional ECO-MEETS were
held. |
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The
tenth Kansas statewide ECO-MEET was held at
Ft. Larned National Historic Site on November 5, 2009.
Here
are the winners!
Check
out the winners from previous years! |
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