Texas’ 23rd Annual Envirothon

On April 13-15, 2024, sixty students from across Texas descended on Longview, converging at the Eastman Nature and Learning Center for the twenty-third annual Texas Envirothon. This prestigious competition, North America's largest high school environmental education event, is offered in cooperation with the National Conservation Foundation's Envirothon. The Texas Envirothon's mission is to cultivate knowledgeable, skilled, and environmentally committed individuals who are prepared to work towards a harmonious balance between quality of life and environmental quality.

Teams of five students traveled from as far as nine hours away to participate in this year's event, knowing the first-place team from each state is eligible to attend the NCF-Envirothon annual international competition to compete against the top teams for thousands in scholarships and awards. Upon arrival at the Eastman Learning Center, they were greeted by Eastman facility managers who provided an in-depth introduction to the 5,000-acre chemical facility that served as the competition venue. This real-world example of the competition's current issue focus "Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future" offered students a unique opportunity to learn about the facility's operations, renewable energy sources, and environmental management practices.

The Texas Envirothon has been inspiring environmental stewardship in young people since 2001 and is organized by the University of Houston Clear Lake Environmental Institute. Wendy Reistle, Texas Envirothon Program Coordinator, expressed her enthusiasm for the event, saying, "I am so excited to welcome our returning schools and to welcome two new schools to their first Texas Envirothon! It is wonderful to see such environmentally literate and capable students and is inspiring to know that these young people are invested in learning about the environment for their future."

The two-day competition featured categories including Aquatics, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, Wildlife, and a Current Issue Oral Presentation. The most successful team would demonstrate not only their knowledge of these basic principles and practices but also their ability to apply them effectively. This year, Richardson High School's team, the "Soil Sommeliers," took first place, followed closely by the second-place team, the "Black Dragons" from the South Texas Science Academy in Mercedes. The third-place finish was a tie and was only decided by the current issue oral presentation scores with team "Esperanzas" from the Conroe Academy of Science & Technology in The Woodlands taking home third place.

Envirothon's annual competition is open to all students across Texas and the country. If you're interested in learning more about Envirothon, exploring the learning objectives, rules, scholarships, and other competition information, or are interested in hosting a team from Texas, please visit their website or contact Texas' Envirothon Program Coordinator, Wendy Reistle.