ALAMOSA– A team representing the science club at Alamosa High School was recently honored as “Best of Country” in the ninth annual “Rio Research Roundup” sponsored by the Rio Grande International Study Center based in Laredo, Texas.

AHS student Adam Crowther also wrote the winning essay. In addition, Mountain Valley High School in Saguache was honored for the best video. The group is led by Yvonne Morfitt.

This year, there were 78 participating schools from Colorado to Brownsville/Matamoros testing for nitrogen, PH, dissolved oxygen, and nitrate among other water quality parameters. Through their field observations, student teams submitted data, essays, short videos, and elaborate pieces of art and well-developed Public Service Announcements.

Every October, as part of Dia del Rio, RGISC hosts the Rio Research Roundup in which 2,000 to 2,500 students from the United States and Mexico test the waters of the Rio Grande or one of its tributaries. Competing teams from smaller Texas watersheds that also empty into the Gulf of Mexico also participated.

The Alamosa team, under the direction of science teacher Katie Montague, were selected this year’s “Best of Country” for the United States teams. A team from Mexico was also selected for that country.

Participating students were: Devin Arellano, Leticia Atencio, Cheyenne Brock, Celine Cisneros, Adam Crowder, Bailee Del Tondo, Anahi Delgado, Nicole Gonzales, Diana Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Kolten Hillis, Raquel Kunugi, Memory Layton, Ashley Lee, Colton Liddell, Clayton Longfellow, Ashley Lopez, Alexia Lopez-Aguilera, Alyssa Lucero, Johnathon Lujan, Daelynn Madril, Izaiah Maestas, Shania Maestas, Jose Manriquez, Haylee Morgan, Emory Moseby, Raeanna Rios, Emily Rodriguez-Lemus, Evelina Sanchez, Santana Sandoval, Mia Sisneros, Chanel Turner, Avree Vargas and Benjamin Wuckert.