High school students across Northeast Ohio are being invited to test their environmental knowledge and teamwork skills at the 2026 Area 2 Envirothon, taking place April 29 at the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland. This year’s competition is hosted by the Lake and Geauga Soil and Water Conservation Dist ricts. The National Conservation Foundation – Area 2 Envirothon is an annual, hands-on environmental education competition designed to stimulate, reinforce, and enhance students’ interest in natural resources, according to a news release. Teams of five students, all from the same school, work together to tackle challenges in soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology, and current environmental issues. The 2026 current issue will be “Non-Point Source Pollution: It Begins at Home!” During the full-day outdoor event, teams rotate through testing stations led by resource professionals from agencies, universities, park districts, and conservation organizations. While each student contributes their personal strengths, scores are based on team performance, emphasizing collaboration and critical thinking, the release stated. Advisors may attend but cannot assist during testing. Ohio hosts five Area Envirothons each spring. The top four teams from each region move on to the Ohio Envirothon, held this year June 1-3 at Franciscan University of Steubenville. The highest-scoring team at the state level earns the opportunity to compete at the National Conservation Foundation Envirothon in July at Mississippi State University. Envirothon in Ohio is sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Financial support is provided through grants, donations from businesses, and contributions to the Don Rehl Memorial Envirothon Fund, along with support from local businesses, the release stated. For more information about the Area 2 Envirothon or how to register a team, contact Katie Nainiger at [email protected] or visit www.geaugaswcd.com/envirothon. Additional details about the NCF Envirothon can be found at envirothon.org. ...read more read less