Now, the THS Eco-Meet team is one of the top squads in the state.

THS placed fourth at state Nov. 5 at Camp Wood YMCA, which is about 30 miles west of Emporia. It marked Tonganoxie’s highest finish in school history. There were 21 teams that competed this year at the state event.

The statewide competition tests students in areas such as Kansas-specific animals, wetlands/aquatics, natural history and insects.

THS science teacher John Tollefson is the squad’s coach. He said youths compete in four events, two of them being table tests, another a scavenger hunt and the fourth an interpretive skit.

“They have to put together a five-minute mini play,” Tollefson said. “Each team member takes on some role of some Kansas plant or animal. They tell about the natural history while making it fun and entertaining to the audience.”

Before competing at state, Tonganoxie finished second at regionals Oct. 28 at the Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe.

The state team of Allison Williams, Sean Ketchum, Anahi Puebla and Jacob Tollefson were tested in the areas of invertebrates and wetlands in the two table tests. The squad placed well in all of its categories, including individually. Jacob Tollefson and Puebla tied for fifth in the individual rankings for invertebrates, while Williams finished 10th in the invertebrates event. Tollefson also had top score in wetlands among THS participants. He placed eighth. Ketchum placed 12th in wetlands, as did Puebla. Williams placed 15th individually.

Eco Meets got their start in 1976 when U.S. Army Corps of Engineers first held the competition in Pittsburgh.

The competition then spread to Illinois, Georgia, Maryland and Kansas.

In 1991, the first Kansas Eco Meet took place at the Milford Nature Center near Junction City. The event has grown from a 10-county area surrounding Junction City in 1991 to 10 regional sites taking place the last two years.

THS has been competing in the event the last five years. Practice started about the third week of school, with the team meeting one night a week. Tollefson also sent home materials for his team to study during the week.

“I thought they did a really nice job,” Tollefson said about this year’s squad. This team had two seniors on it. This was their fourth year doing it.

“It was nice for them to get recognition for all their hard work.”

The younger Tollefson and Ketchum were the two seniors on the squad.

Many Eco Meet team members also participate in Science Olympiad in the spring. This year’s squad had the most out with 14.

“I think it’s an awesome way for kids to reconnect with the outdoors and get to know more about the plants and animals around them and that sort of thing,” Tollefson said.