Rhode Island Envirothon is an exciting environmental program, perfect for middle and high school students who love the outdoors, animals, and plants, or who are just curious about the world we live in. Throughout the year, Envirothon students attend hands-on workshops that inspire learning about our natural environment and instill an appreciation of nature and the delicate environmental balances that make life possible. After studying with experts on all aspects of the environment, the program culminates each May in a one-day battle of environmental minds!

The student teams will rotate through five stations to answer written questions and engage in hands-on activities like soil analysis, wildlife habitat assessment, tree identification, and water quality sampling. At the last station, they will deliver a 12-15-minute presentation on this year’s Environmental Issue, “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change” to a panel of judges.

Students participating in the event represent East Providence High School, Narragansett High School, St. Mary’s Academy Bay View in East Providence, The Greene School in West Greenwich, and The Wheeler School in Providence; representing the middle school will be Providence Country Day.

Volunteers and environmental professionals from state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, higher education, and private industry are serving as event organizers, station volunteers, subject matter experts and judges.

RI Envirothon is not just an educational program. The environmental appreciation and team-building skills the students learn are real-world experiences that they will carry throughout their lives as they become the leaders of tomorrow. Envirothon teaches our youth HOW to think, not WHAT to think.

Background

RI Envirothon is coordinated by a partnership of state and federal environmental agencies, conservation districts, non-profit organizations and academic institutions. 

The 2025 Rhode Island Envirothon is made possible through the contributions of partnering agencies and organizations, including financial support from: the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, AMICA, Environmental Business Council of New England, The Hammond Family, Society of Soil Scientists of Southern New England, Rhode Island Society of Environmental professionals, Senator Susan Sosnowski’s Office, Northern Rhode Island Conservation District, RI Tree Farm, RIFCO, Navigant Credit Union, Westerly Community Bank, and many other professional and environmental organizations. 

The overall winning team will have the opportunity to represent Rhode Island in the International Envirothon, to be held July 20-26, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.