Two Prescott students will compete at the area level Environmental Awareness Speech Contest after being chosen as winners by Pierce County judges at the county level. Seventh grade student Emelia Berg will represent the Junior Division and Ayla Peterson will represent the Elementary Division at the February 3, virtual event with results expected at February’s end.

The competition began when twelve 5th grade students and two 7th grade students participated in the contest at the school level. National Honor Society students from Prescott High School listened to and gave feedback on students' speeches via video and chose five 5th graders and one 7th grader to represent Prescott at the Pierce County Level. With COVID protocols in place, all speeches are recorded and submitted via video and judged by a remote panel.

Speech topic criteria for the statewide competition are to promote the protection or enhancement of a soil and water conservation issue specific to a student’s locality. Emelia decided to research and speak about the endangered Eastern whip-poor-will after hearing the nocturnal bird’s night call outside her window. The species has seen a severe decline since the 1960s and she urges listeners to reconsider their use of pesticides, fertilizers and how crops are harvested in order to protect it.

Ayla’s topic focuses on the Northern long-eared bat. Her presentation explains why bats are beneficial to our environment and many interesting facts, “An average bat can eat up to 1,200 insects an hour – that’s 20 insects a minute!” The Northern long-eared bat is endangered due to white nose syndrome, a fungus found in many of the caves it inhabits.

Congratulations Emelia and Ayla on representing Prescott School District at the West Central Area Environmental Speech Competition!

Emelia Berg