FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 24, 2024) – A five-person team from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School won the 2024 state Envirothon competition, held May 15-16 at the North Central 4H Camp in Carlisle, Kentucky. They will now represent Kentucky at the international Envirothon competition this summer at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York. The team was also recognized for being the highest scoring team in the forestry category.
Envirothon is an annual environmentally-themed academic competition for high school students organized by the National Conservation Foundation. The competition is held by the United States and Canada on a regional, state, and bi-national level. Teams are tested on their knowledge of Kentucky’s natural resources at five “in the field” test stations, each covering a separate topic addressing soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatics and a current environmental issue. Through hands-on experiments, analysis and use of critical thinking skills, the teams answer a set of questions at each station. This year’s current issue was “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.”
Fourteen teams competed against each other in Kentucky’s Envirothon competition. Each team qualified for the state competition by reaching a minimum score at the two regional competitions, held in April.
The highest scoring team that is affiliated with a local FFA chapter was from Madison Southern High School. This team will represent Kentucky at the Environmental and Natural Resources Career Development Event, which will take place this fall in conjunction with the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
The teams with the highest scores in each category include:
| School | Category |
| South Warren High School | Soils |
| Craft Academy | Aquatics |
| North Laurel High School | Wildlife |
| Washington County High School | Current issue test |
| Highlands High School | Current issue oral presentation |
Jay Nelson, director of the Kentucky Division of Conservation, emphasized the importance of Envirothon to Kentucky’s youth. “The Kentucky Envirothon is a great competition for our high school students. For these young adults, the competition instills a respect and appreciation for their natural resources and encourages work to conserve them for generations to come.”
For more information about the Envirothon, contact Johnna McHugh and/or visit https://eec.ky.gov/Natural-Resources/Conservation/Pages/Envirothon.aspx.
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