SR0120 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0120 LRB099 07669 MST 28003 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, There is a need to educate our youth of the importance of protecting and conserving Illinois's precious natural resources; and

WHEREAS, By combining in-class curriculum and hands-on field experiences, the Envirothon program is an excellent way to supplement environmental education inside and outside the traditional classroom; and

WHEREAS, The Envirothon is a hands-on environmental problem-solving competition for high school-aged students in the United States and Canada; and

WHEREAS, The Envirothon works in partnership with local conservation districts, forestry associations, educators, and cooperating natural resource agencies to organize and conduct competitions on the local, regional, state, and/or provincial level; and

WHEREAS, Illinois is an active participant in the International Envirothon Competition; and

WHEREAS, Envirothon participants gain valuable knowledge and training in ecology and natural resource management principles, and practices, and the importance and limitations of soils, wildlife, aquatic ecosystems, forestry, and current important environmental issues; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Envirothon has been responsible for more than 18,000 participating high school students being taught these important natural resource principles and issues since 1995; and

WHEREAS, It is important that the citizens of Illinois recognize the contributions of this event toward training our youth to be responsible caretakers of the State's precious natural resources; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate April 30, 2015 and April 28, 2016 as Envirothon Day throughout Illinois to bring recognition to the activities of the Envirothon program.