Students win wildlife habitat competition
Peabody-Burns Junior and Senior High School students were involved in a Wildlife Habitat Evaluation competition March 31 at Kansas State University in Manhattan.
The contest involved about 70 students from a dozen Kansas towns in both the junior and senior competitions. Teams from Peabody-Burns represented both divisions. Some teams were from 4-H clubs instead of schools.
Sponsor Ann Leppke, junior high science and biology instructor, talked to students about participating in the contest shortly after it was announced.
"After the kids committed to the competition, they studied on their own," Leppke said. "They are a motivated group of kids."
Topics covered in the competition are identifying habitats for Kansas wild animals, identifying the foods they eat, judging habitats by aerial photos, and on-site identification. Students also make a written wildlife management plan, working as a team to come up with recommendations.
The junior division team of Jacob Gillet, Zac Goodwin, Matt Hiebert, and Daulton Teaford placed first while junior division students Heather Brooks, Embry Hodges, Michaela Methvin, and Amanda Pickens placed third.
Zac Goodwin and Daulton Teaford brought home additional honors winning second and third place spots respectively in the individual competition.
Peabody-Burns students who participated are Christopher Brooks, Heather Brooks, Jacob Gillet, Zac Goodwin, Matt Hiebert, Embry Hodges, Michaela Methvin, Amanda Pickens, Brandon Pickens, Storm Pickens, Derek Schmidt, Daulton Teaford, Ryan Wiebe, and Joe Zappone.
