Starkville, Mississippi – On July 24, the New York Envirothon team, from Mount Academy, Esopus, NY, was named the champion of the 2026 National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon, an international environmental and natural resources academic competition for high school students. The event brought more than 300 high school students, teachers, mentors, and chaperones to Starkville, Mississippi, for the NCF-Envirothon competition. These students represented 43 teams from across the U.S. and Canada.
The theme of this year’s competition, “Non-point Source Pollution: It Begins at Home,” allowed students to explore their role in reducing non-point pollution at a personal and community level. They competed in a series of skills tests in five key subject areas: soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and current issues.
“The NCF-Envirothon is about much more than a competition. It’s an opportunity for students to apply science to real-world challenges, develop leadership and teamwork skills, and discover how they can make a difference in their communities and beyond. We are incredibly proud of every student who participated this year and grateful to the partners, volunteers, and supporters who help make this life-changing experience possible,” said Jeremy Peters, NCF Executive Director.
Congratulations to the top 10 finishers at the 2026 NCF-Envirothon: 1st place: New York 2nd place: North Carolina 3rd place: North Dakota 4th place: Pennsylvania 5th place: Massachusetts 6th place: Ontario 7th place: Texas 8th place: Maryland 9th place: Colorado 10th place: Kentucky
Over $50,000 in scholarships and awards were presented to the winning teams. These teams showed outstanding understanding and skill throughout the competition.
This competition wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our donors, including the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts, Mississippi State University, Amazon, Canon U.S.A., and others.
As we celebrate this year's success, we look forward to our competition next year. The 2027 NCF-Envirothon will be hosted at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, from July 24-30. The theme of next year’s competition will be Soil Health Management: Agricultural Principles and Stewardship.
Stay tuned for updates, announcements, and information as teams prepare for the competition season beginning next spring. We are looking forward to another exciting year of the NCF-Envirothon competition!
