North Carolina high school students attend environmental workshop

Published 8:12 pm Tuesday, August 25, 2015

NEWS RELEASE_BCSWCD 2015 RCW_150820 WEB

James Peele (left) and Allen Benson

From Beaufort County Soil and Water Conservation District

High school students across North Carolina participated in the 52nd annual Resource Conservation Workshop, from June 21-26 in Wake County. Soil and water conservation district boards across the state chose 96 students to participate in the workshop based on demonstrated conservation interests.

Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation District chose two local students to attend the workshop. The attendees were Allen Benson and James Peele. Allen, the son of Mart and Anita Benson of Pantego, is a rising junior at Pungo Christian Academy.  James is a rising junior at Southside High School. He resides with William, Jr. and Michelle Peele of Chocowinity.

Four days of resource topics were taught by an innumerable number of resource professionals and NC State University staff. Some of the organizing groups were NCSU Soil Science Department (Soil Science Day), Falls Lake U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Water, Wildlife, Recreation and Fish Management Day), Clemmons Educational State Forest (Forestry and Forest Management Day) and Wake Soil and Water Conservation District (Soil and Water Day). Students also received information and insight into careers in natural resource management throughout the week. The fifth day culminated in the classroom and field sessions where a written exam was conducted and an awards luncheon was held before students departed for home.

The workshop is sponsored and organized by the NC Division of Soil and Water Conservation, the NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Hugh Hammond Bennett Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society and NC State’s Soil Science Department and the McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education.

Current freshmen, sophomores or juniors, who are interested in attending the 2016 Resource Conservation Workshop, may contact the Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation District office at 155C Airport Rd, Washington or call 252-946-4989, ext. 3.