North Idaho STEM Charter sweeps Idaho Envirothon competition

RATHDRUM — Today's students are already finding solutions to tomorrow's problems, and the awards are piling up along the way.

A team from North Idaho STEM Charter Academy swept the 2024 Idaho Envirothon, taking first place overall and winning in three out of five categories. The competition among 11 teams took place Monday and Tuesday at Living Waters Ranch on the Salmon River in Challis.

"I was extremely excited," team lead and North Idaho STEM Charter junior Colton Burnside said Thursday.

Most of last year's team had been to the competition before, so the students had a good idea of how it would go, said Colton, who is in his third year participating in Envirothon.

"This year it was really interesting to see such a new team go in," he said. "I figured we'd get in the top three at least, but first is cool."

Envirothon is a hands-on contest for high school students to demonstrate their natural resources know-how. Over 25,000 students annually participate in the program.

During the contest, student teams meet with other teams and cycle through aquatics, forestry, soils and wildlife stations manned by professionals in the field. Each station entails about 40 minutes of demonstrations and interactive work. The teams are then tested on what they learned at the station as well as previous study on the subject. They also must give a presentation on a current issue, the topic of which changes each year. This year's issue was “Energy for a sustainable future."

Locally, Envirothon is organized by the Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts. The North Idaho STEM team is sponsored by the Kootenai-Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation District and advised by science teacher Michelle Carlson.

This is the second consecutive year the North Idaho STEM team placed first at the Idaho Envirothon. The students will now advance to the international Envirothon competition, in which students from the U.S., Canada, Singapore and China will participate. The North Idaho STEM team won an all-expense-paid trip to participate in the national contest from July 28 to Aug. 3 in Geneva, N.Y. 

"I'm really nervous, but I'm also really excited. It's that nervous excitement," sophomore Keira Barnhart said. "A bunch of people are going to be there."

Keira, whose parents own a logging company, said she plans to go into forestry as a career. She grew up around it and it has been a part of her family for several generations.

"Forestry is the way to go because I can go anywhere from there in that industry," she said. "I really enjoy everything about it."

Junior Jessalyn Myers has an agricultural background and shared how her personal experience helped her in the competition.

“We raise cows at home and it’s a small-town farm kind of deal, nothing big, but my whole family is like that on my dad’s side,” she said.

She said participating in Envirothon was super fun.

"It felt like a paid vacation for a little bit," she said with a smile.

The Envirothon is managed and directed by the National Conservation Foundation and its Envirothon Operating Committee. At the international event, students will participate in the academic competition to test their knowledge and skills for scholarships, prizes and accolades.

    From left, Keira Barnhart, Nicolas Gronlund, Micah Collins and Colton Burnside go for a Monday hike above Living Waters Ranch in Challis as they participate in the Idaho Envirothon competition. The North Idaho STEM Charter Academy team won the contest and will advance to the international competition in New York this summer.
  

    The North Idaho STEM Charter Academy team presents its scenario solution for the judges' panel Tuesday during the Idaho Envirothon contest, which the team won. From left: Nicolas Gronlund, Colton Burnside, Jessalyn Myers, Keira Barnhart and Micah Collins.