A total of 27 teams met at the Cloquet Forestry Center yesterday to compete for a chance at the State Envirothon Title. Out of these 27 teams, two HHS teams, Team Black and Team Green, competed at the event.

Team Green was made up of Carter Eng, Erik Rubinyi, Konstantinos Kochilas, Evan Hazeltine, and Matt Carter, seniors. Callan Showers, Cassidy Coats, Tom Koppe, Matt Spandl, and Eleanor Matson, seniors, were on Team Black. The two teams placed seventh and first. The team that placed first will be going on to nationals in Missouri this July.

Groups from schools all over the state broke into teams of five and walked around to six presentation stations. At the first 5 stations, the teams took 25 point quiz on environmental topics. At the sixth station, they gave a brief oral presentation to a group of judges.

The event is scored out of a possible 150 points.

Team Black and Team Green scored 100.50 and 109.42, respectively.

The HHS Envirothon program is headed by John Sammler, science. After the victory, Sammler was very excited to for the team.

“What a fantastic way to end my school year,” Sammler said.

Members of the winning team were also happy about the victory.

Erik Rubinyi, senior, has been on the Envirothon team for three years. This is the first time an HHS team has gone on to nationals.

“It was really nice because I went from third place [three years ago], to second place [two years ago], to first place,” Rubinyi said.