Stevenson High School representing Illinois at the 2024 National Conservation Foundation Envirothon

Update: Stevenson High School represented the state well with a 5th place finish! 

The New York State Envirothon is hosting more than 500 visitors for the 2024 National Conservation Foundation (NCF) Envirothon annual competition, including 2024 Illinois Envirothon winners Stevenson High School of Lincolnshire (see Illinois’ event).

NCF-Envirothon is an international environmental and natural resources academic competition for high school students, from July 28 to August 3, 2024. This year’s competition will be housed at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. Students will focus on the current issue topic of “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.” Students will learn about the different sources of renewable energy; the challenges facing the transition from traditional fossil fuels to renewables; the environmental, economic, and social impacts of energy consumption; and how individuals can affect change in their communities. 

This year, the top three team announcements and oral presentations will be live-streamed on YouTube starting at 1:30 pm (Central) on Friday August 2. Information and reminders on the day’s activities, events, and previous day’s highlights will be posted to envirothon.org.

Throughout the week-long competition, students will demonstrate their knowledge of the current issue topic, as well as soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry and wildlife management through written tests and prepared oral presentations. This year’s competition will bring together 50 teams of high school students from across the U.S., Canada, China, and Singapore. 

The NCF-Envirothon sponsors and partners are: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services; Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Farm Credit East; Canon U.S.A., Inc.; New York State Conservation Districts; New York Association of Conservation Districts; Environmental Education Foundation; National Association of Conservation Districts; and all the others. 

The winning teams are awarded over $50,000 in scholarships and prizes, with the top three teams receiving $30,000 in total donated from Smithfield Foods, Inc. 

“Envirothon is an eye-opener for anybody who’s interested in natural resources as a young person. A lot of participants are typically interested in science or agriculture,” said Wendee Dodds, Natural Resource Specialist, NCF-Envirothon Operating Committee Member. “Envirothon broadens their scope of awareness of how many different types of careers are available in agriculture and natural resources. After participating in the Envirothon as a high school student and learning about all of the different career opportunities that I could pursue, it propelled me into the career I have today as a natural resource specialist.”

See images from the 2024 Illinois Envirothon competition from May at Allerton Park’s 4-H Memorial Camp, near Monticello.