On April 20th, the South Carolina Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) held its largest State Contest to date at the Clemson Sandhill REC. WHEP is a national, hands-on environmental education program dedicated to teaching youth about wildlife and fisheries habitat conservation and management.
The program allows youth to form teams of 3-4 members at the junior and senior levels to learn and test their wildlife knowledge through friendly competition. Participants, aged 9-18, gain knowledge about wildlife terms and concepts, and learn how to manage habitats effectively. During the contest, over 80 youth competed in tasks such as identifying wildlife and writing wildlife management plans.
The winners of the event were:
- Senior 4-H Grand Champion: Lexington 4-H
- FFA Grand Champion: Aynor FFA
- Junior 4-H Grand Champion: Greenville/Laurens 4-H
Both teams will represent South Carolina at the National Contest in Brownwood, Texas, in July. Additionally, the Junior Grand Champion title was awarded to Greenville/Laurens 4-H.
