LAUREL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WIN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY 2026 ENVIROTHON COMPETITION FOR THE 5TH YEAR IN A ROW!
BRANDYWINE, MD – The Prince George’s Soil Conservation District (PGSCD) is pleased to announce that for the fifth year in a row, Laurel High School won first-place honors in the 2026 Prince George’s County Envirothon Competition. Eleanor Roosevelt High School returned to this year’s competition and placed second. The Envirothon provides a fun and exciting way for high school students to learn about natural resources, make informed decisions about the environment, and earn scholarship money for college. The event is a problem-solving competition that challenges students to work collaboratively to answer questions and conduct hands-on projects focusing on natural resource issues. The goal is to increase students’ environmental knowledge and understanding, while also motivating young people to care for the environment by practicing stewardship in their homes, schools, and communities.
PGSCD and the William S. Schmidt Outdoor Education Center hosted this year’s event at the Schmidt Center on April 29, 2026. Seventeen teams (84 students) from eleven schools in Prince George’s County were tested in five categories: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and this year’s fifth issue, “Non-point Source Pollution: It Begins at Home!” Participating high schools were Academy of Health Sciences at Prince George’s Community College, Crossland High School, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Fairmont Heights High School, Frederick Douglas High School, Gwynn Park High School, High Point High School, Laurel High School, Oxon Hill High School, and Potomac High School.
“We are extremely proud of the students who competed in the 2026 Prince George’s County Envirothon competition. Congratulations to the winning team from Laurel High School and to the runners-up from Eleanor Roosevelt High School,” said Steven E. Darcey, PGSCD’s District Manager. “This year’s program was a great success thanks to the hard work and dedication of the local Envirothon coordinators, resource specialists, coaches, and sponsors. We give heartfelt thanks to everyone involved. Let’s go win the Maryland State Envirothon!”
The event was sponsored by several organizations in addition to PGSCD and Prince George’s County Public School System (PGCPS). The program requires significant funding for instruments, transportation, and lunch, to name a few. This year’s sponsors included:
- Keep Prince George’s County Beautiful
- Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO)
- Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission
- Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts
- Prince George’s County Farm Bureau, R&D Cross
- Environmental Quality Resources (EQR)
- Atwell LLC, Robin Hill Farm & Vineyard
- The Colevas Group
- The Rotary Club of Upper Marlboro
- The Forest Garden Club
“We are proud that our Envirothon students are gaining the knowledge, skills, and leadership experience needed to address complex environmental challenges.” said Kurt Lienau, Environmental Outreach Educator with the Department of Environmental Education at the William S. Schmidt Center. “Through the Envirothon, students not only learn to tackle pressing local and global issues but also inspire action in their communities and promote a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. I am especially pleased that this year a different school scored the highest in each category.”
PGSCD and the Schmidt Center collaborated with partners from the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission’s Parks and Recreation division, Maryland’s USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), Prince George’s County’s Department of the Environment, and University of Maryland Extension to provide training opportunities and resources to teams and their coaches.
Envirothon Coach, Nadisha Clayton-Garrison, says, “I’m incredibly proud of our Envirothon Team and this fifth consecutive win. This year is especially meaningful as we celebrate our seniors, many of whom have been part of the program since 9th grade and will be heading to college this fall. The $1,500 scholarship will go a long way in supporting their educational expenses.
These students have shown remarkable perseverance, balancing the demands of academics, athletics, and multiple co-curricular commitments. Their dedication, discipline, and passion for environmental science truly set them apart, and this achievement reflects the hard work they’ve put in over the years.”
Their dedication, discipline, and passion for the Envirothon program truly set them apart, and this achievement reflects the hard work they’ve put in over the years.”
The winning team from Laurel High School will head to the State competition at Mount Saint Mary’s University, June 10-11. The Maryland State Envirothon champions will advance to the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) Envirothon competition held July 19-25 at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi.
With more counties and states participating each year, the Envirothon competition continues to expand its reach. PGSCD remains committed to its goal to educate as many students and teachers as possible on the importance of conserving our natural resources to preserve and protect the environment. As always, we are #PrinceGeorgesProud!
About Prince George’s Soil Conservation District
The mission of the Prince George’s Soil Conservation District is to protect and promote the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the State and County, and otherwise enhance their living environment by conservation of soil, water and related resources. The District works to control and prevent soil erosion in order to preserve natural resources, control floods, prevent impairment of dams and reservoirs, assist in maintaining the navigability of rivers and harbors, preserve wildlife, protect the tax base and public lands.
Media Contact
Kim Summers
301.574.5162 x3
kmsummers@pgcmd.gov
www.pgscd.org