By Maya Betti, KYMN News Intern
Pictures provided by Rice County Soil & Water
A team of students from Northfield High School represented Rice County at the 2025 Minnesota State Envirothon, held at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, Minnesota. Competing against 22 teams from across the state, the Northfield team earned an impressive 7th-place finish.
The Envirothon is a unique outdoor academic competition that challenges high school and middle school students on their knowledge of natural resources and environmental science. Students rotate through five stations—soils, wildlife, water, forestry, and a current environmental issue—where they hear from natural resource professionals and then complete a hands-on exam.
To qualify for the state contest, the Northfield team first took second place at the Area VII Envirothon, held earlier this spring at the Byron Sportsmen & Conservation Club near Mantorville.
Throughout the competition, students identified tree species, analyzed soil samples, interpreted resource maps, and delivered an oral presentation on a current environmental issue before a panel of judges. The Envirothon encourages critical thinking, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship—skills that will serve these students well into the future.
For over thirty years, the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) has held the Envirothon competitions across Minnesota, with the exception of 2020, when the event was canceled due to Covid-19. In 2021, the event was held virtually.
The Northfield Middle School also sent two teams to the Area VII Envirothon. The teams finished in first and third place in the middle school competition.
The Rice County Soil & Water Conservation District extends its congratulations to all the Rice County students who dedicated their time and effort to participate in the 2025 Envirothon. We also sincerely thank teacher Mark Auge for coordinating this year’s high school team from Northfield High School, as well as Amy Allin and Katrina Meehan for leading the middle school teams from Northfield Middle School.
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