ODESSA, N.Y. (WETM) – On Thursday, April 28th, a team of students at Odessa-Montour High School won the 2022 Regional Envirothon – the first such victory by an O-M representative at the annual competition.

The team, known as the O-M Otters, defeated 29 teams from 11 regional schools at the Tioga Sportsmen’s Complex in Owego. Coached by high school science teacher, Doug Chapman, the squad consisted of all seniors who competed at the Envirothon for the first time.

“It was nice being in nature,” said Ethan King, one of the members of O-M Otters. “It was cool to hang out with the guys that we went with.”

Two schools with six teams represented Schuyler County in the event. The Otters also won the County competition, with second place going to the Brussel Sprouts of Bradford Central School, coached by Becky Schrader, and 3rd place to the Octopi from Odessa-Montour.

“We each dedicated some time to a specific topic and we studied it a little bit,” said Casey Keyes, another member of the O-M Otters. “We just went in there and put our brains together and came out with a win.”

The O-M Otters will represent Schuyler County at the 2022 New York State Envirothon to be held at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva on May 25 and 26. The winning team at the statewide competition will compete at The National Envirothon at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio on July 24-30.