WALDORF, Md. — High school students from Charles County Public Schools gathered Oct. 15, 2025, at the Charles Soil Conservation District farm for the first of three hands-on trainings leading to the county Envirothon competition. The event drew teams from seven CCPS high schools, including La Plata, where sophomore Kyle Mojica and his senior sister Samantha joined peers in exploring aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and non-point source pollution through interactive stations.
Organized by the Charles Soil Conservation District, the training session marked the start of preparations for the countywide contest set for April 15, 2026, at Gilbert Run Park in Charlotte Hall. Students rotated through four core stations plus the annual issue topic, applying classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios amid the district’s 200-acre property, which features demonstration plots for conservation practices like cover cropping and riparian buffers.
At the forestry station, participants examined pine branches under a picnic pavilion, distinguishing species by scent and structure. One student remarked on a cluster of needles, noting its holiday-like aroma as instructors explained identification keys for Maryland natives such as loblolly pine and shortleaf pine, common in the county’s mixed hardwood forests. Teams measured tree diameters and assessed health indicators, skills tested in competition orienteering events where groups navigate wooded sites to tally species and estimate volumes.
The soils station delved into CLORPT factors — climate, organisms, relief, parent material and time — that shape soil profiles. Students sifted samples from local Piedmont and Coastal Plain formations, discussing erosion control in Charles County’s agricultural zones, where 40 percent of land supports row crops and livestock. This hands-on approach aligns with Envirothon’s emphasis on problem-solving, as teams later draft action plans for issues like sediment runoff into Mattawoman Creek.
Aquatics sessions highlighted the “three lungs of the Earth” — the Amazon, Congo Basin and Southeast Asian rainforests — as benchmarks for biodiversity, then shifted to local streams. Groups tested water quality using macroinvertebrate keys, identifying pollution-tolerant organisms like sludge worms versus sensitive stoneflies, tying into the fifth topic of non-point source pollution from urban stormwater and farm fertilizers. In wildlife areas, students pored over field guides and examined mounted specimens, practicing calls and tracks for species such as the eastern box turtle, a state species of concern in Southern Maryland wetlands.
Kyle Mojica, in his second year with La Plata High School’s team, described the program as a draw for his interest in wildlife and future farming aspirations. “It’s cool,” he said. “It’s something to do and I definitely wanted in.” His sister Samantha, entering her third season, has helped the team build depth through prior sessions. La Plata’s group, sponsored by teacher Mr. Terlecki, has a track record of success, claiming the county title in 2016, 2017 and 2023 before advancing to state levels.
Envirothon, launched in Pennsylvania in the 1970s by conservation districts, has grown into North America’s largest high school environmental competition, engaging over 25,000 students annually across the U.S., Canada and China. In Maryland, the program operates through 24 soil conservation districts, with Charles hosting since the 1990s to foster stewardship in a county balancing growth and green space. CCPS integrates it as an extracurricular, open to grades 9-12 without cost to participants, funded by district grants and sponsors like the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts.
Teams of four or five collaborate year-round, attending fall, winter and spring trainings before the county event. The April competition spans a full day of written tests, practical skills challenges and a team oral presentation on the current issue. Scoring weighs individual knowledge at 60 percent and group dynamics at 40 percent, rewarding collaboration over rote memorization. County winners — one team per district — proceed to the Maryland Envirothon on June 10-11, 2026, at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, where 25 squads vie for the state crown and national qualification.
The national NCF-Envirothon, held July 19-25, 2026, at Mississippi State University in Starkville, gathers up to 64 teams for multi-day trials including a resource management simulation. Past Maryland representatives, like North Harford High School’s 2024 state winners, placed second internationally in 2025, earning scholarships up to $3,000 per student through the National Conservation Foundation. In Charles County, the program builds career pipelines; alumni pursue degrees in environmental science at institutions like the University of Maryland or enter roles with agencies such as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Non-point source pollution, this year’s focus, resonates locally as Charles County addresses Chesapeake Bay restoration goals under the 2025 Watershed Implementation Plan. Runoff from 225 miles of county streams carries nutrients into the Potomac, prompting initiatives like the district’s rain garden installations at schools. Trainings incorporate these ties, equipping students to advocate for low-impact development in Waldorf’s expanding subdivisions.
As winter training approaches in February 2026, organizers anticipate full rosters from all seven CCPS high schools: Lackey, La Plata, Maurice J. McDonough, North Point, St. Charles, Thomas Stone and Westlake. Resources like study trunks — kits with tree cookies, soil augers and aquatic nets — circulate among schools, supplemented by online modules from the Maryland Envirothon site.
Advancing teams gain exposure to professionals, including guest speakers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who judge orals on feasibility and innovation. National competitors face scenarios like restoring pollinator habitats, scored by university faculty.
Envirothon’s structure ensures accessibility: No entry fees, transportation via school buses and adaptive formats for diverse learners. In Charles County, where 28,000 students navigate 36 schools, the program complements STEM initiatives like the CCPS Green Teams, which logged 500 volunteer hours last year on stream cleanups.
