LA PLATA — A La Plata High School team representing Charles County finished fourth at the Maryland Envirothon, a strong showing that highlights student achievement in environmental education.
The Charles Soil Conservation District announced the result following the two-day competition at Mt. St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg. The five-member team from La Plata High School earned the placement after winning the Charles County Envirothon in April at Gilbert Run Park.
Team members included Riley Johnson, Amelia Liston, Alison Miller, Samantha Mojica and Sofia Myers. Jacob Terlecki, a La Plata High School teacher, coached the group. An honorary sixth member, Nugget the squirrel mascot, joined as a lighthearted nod to an incident during the county event when a squirrel fell from a tree onto a team member.
Riley Johnson’s mother, Tara Parker-Johnson, participated on the La Plata team that represented Charles County at the Maryland Envirothon 30 years ago. She attended this year as a chaperone and serves as an Envirothon coach at St. Charles High School. Parker-Johnson had challenged her son to surpass her team’s eighth-place finish, and the current group succeeded.
Terlecki has coached La Plata’s Envirothon teams for three years. With only one team member graduating this year, the group views the experience as valuable preparation for future competitions. They aim to win the Charles County Envirothon again and improve their state placement in 2027.
The Charles County Envirothon program involves two teams from each of the county’s seven public high schools. Students participate in three hands-on training sessions during the school year. The program covers five topic areas: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, and a rotating fifth topic. This year’s fifth topic focused on “Non-Point Source Pollution: It Begins at Home!”
The Maryland Envirothon winner, a team from Montgomery County, will represent the state at the National Conservation Foundation Envirothon in Starkville, Mississippi, from July 19–25.
Environmental education programs like Envirothon provide students with practical knowledge of natural resources and conservation issues. Participation helps build teamwork, critical thinking and awareness of local and global environmental challenges. Charles County students gain experience that supports academic growth and community involvement.
Residents interested in supporting environmental education can learn more through the Charles Soil Conservation District or local high school programs. These initiatives prepare young people to address natural resource topics relevant to Southern Maryland.
