By: Emily Lin ‘25

Envirothon is an annual competition that happens at Camp Kresge in White Haven, PA. The competition challenges students across five core disciplines: Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, Wildlife, and a rotating Current Event, which for this year was, “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change”. This year Wyoming Seminary sent a total of 3 teams: Team A, the “Woodcocks,” consisted of Gia Cella ‘25, Kaelee Potoski ‘25, Emily Lin ‘25, Gwen Simbar ‘25, and Eva Blaum ‘25; Team B consisted of Daisy Gao ‘28, Chi Ebi-Ekweozoh ‘25, Coco Kong ‘26, and Nicole Yang ‘26; Team C consisted of George Malloy ‘28, Thomas Li ’28, Kevin Yang ‘25, Ellie Hannon ‘26, and Moira Poepperling ‘25. In the months leading up to the competition, the teams worked together to study the five different topics, creating various study materials and engaging in weekly group sessions where they practiced applying their knowledge to real-world scenarios. 

The competition, which recently took place on April 29, 2025, gave students a chance to connect classroom learning with environmental issues and develop skills in problem-solving, fieldwork, and teamwork. They applied their preparation during the field-based event, completing practical assessments like identifying aquatic organisms, classifying soil types, and analyzing forest health. Through this process, students learned not only scientific facts but also gained a deeper understanding of environmental systems, the challenges facing modern ecosystems, and the importance of forest stewardship in the face of climate change. Team A member Eva Blaum ‘25 especially appreciates the opportunity Envirothon offers to be fully immersed in nature: “Envirothon has really helped me broaden my horizons of environmental knowledge. It’s really helped me see the beauty in all of Pennsylvania’s wildlife diversity and natural systems.” 

The team was wildly successful this year: Team A medaled, coming in second place, and will be going to states which will take place on May 21st at Windber Recreation Park. Gia Cella ‘25, also a member of Team A, when asked about the future “really encourages students to try [Envirothon] out. It’s a uniquely collaborative, informative, and interactive experience that I promise, you won’t regret!”