With the International Envirothon competition just around the corner, from July 28 to August 3 in Alberta, Canada, I can’t help but reflect on the wild and challenging ride my team and I had this year.
If you had told me a year ago that I’d be spending weekends studying soil pH levels, tree species, and water quality tests, I probably would’ve said, “Yeah, right.” However, this year, I started the very first Envirothon Club at my high school, and we advanced to the state-level competition.
Spoiler alert: we didn’t make it to Nationals in Canada, but honestly? I wouldn’t change a thing.
So… What even is the Envirothon?
Before this year, I had no idea either. I discovered Envirothon while searching for science competitions that weren’t limited to labs and lectures. It turns out that Envirothon is a major environmental education competition that began in Pennsylvania in 1987.
It is now an international competition that challenges students to study five core subjects: aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, soil and land management, and current environmental issues.
When they first hosted what was called an “environmental olympiad,” there were just 40 teams. However, interest quickly grew, especially from neighboring states, including Ohio and Massachusetts. Originally, the competition followed a traditional Olympiad-style format, but it soon evolved into an outdoor, hands-on competition that set it apart from other contests.
Each year, the Envirothon not only covers the five core subjects but also introduces a special theme, with presentations and real-world scenario responses built around it. This year’s theme was “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change.”
To be honest, I had no idea how to start a club. My friend and I asked one of my science teachers if we could make it official, created a few Canva posters, and invited everyone I knew to join. We met during lunch and after school, watched YouTube videos about tree ID, and even took a field trip to a local nature preserve.
We were figuring it out as we went, but it felt exciting. And real.
At our first meeting, I looked around the small classroom at the 30 people eager to join the Envirothon club. Many people had shown up to hear about our goals; however, some were clearly there to scroll their phones, study for exams, and chat with friends. At that moment, I had mixed feelings about the club’s future, but as soon as we started the meeting, I could see exactly who was interested.
We competed at the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District on April 12, 2025. For the aquatic ecology round, we had to name each stage of the water cycle and complete hands-on water activities. Identifying insects and determining salinity using testing devices wasn’t easy, but we finished in 2nd place statewide in the subject.
Meanwhile, in forestry, we measured the ages of the trees and the differences in thickness using rulers. For soil, we identified ratios of sand, silt, and clay to differentiate sandy loam and regular loam. Then, for wildlife, we had to identify birds based on their calls and know which bones belonged to which animals.
Finally, we had to present our plan for wildfire stewardship, including costs, risks, and cultural considerations, to a panel of ecology experts. We started with quantifying the wildfire risks in San Luis Obispo County, and finished with a solid plan to keep the healthy forest fires while mitigating the destructive ones. I have to admit, our nerves were wracked, but with hours of practice, we started rolling smoothly after the introductions.
Right after our presentation, we had a 20-minute break to connect with other teams. Talking with other competitors, I felt anxious as we seemed way less prepared. We saw how serious some of the other teams were: full-on uniforms, printed binders, the whole deal.
We held our own and earned second place at the state level, but it wasn’t enough to qualify for Nationals in Canada this time around. However, it was one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve ever had. I learned so much, and more importantly, I cared so much.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to our club advisor for serving as our chaperone at the event and for supporting us throughout our studies. We really could not have done it without her.
So, if you care about the environment, love the outdoors, or just want to try something new with friends, consider joining (or starting!) an Envirothon team. It’s challenging, yes. But it’s also empowering and honestly kind of fun. To get started with studying their resources, visit envirothon.org.
We didn’t make it to Canada—but maybe you will.
