Eastern Shore Students Shine at 2026 Envirothon Competition

Broadwater Academy Earns Top Honors, Advances to State Competition

Eastern Shore, VA — On March 17, 2026, students from across Virginia’s Eastern Shore gathered at the Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) to put their environmental knowledge to the test at the annual 2026 Eastern Shore Envirothon. The event drew six teams — three from high school and three from middle school — all eager to demonstrate their expertise in natural resources and environmental science.

Envirothon is a competitive academic program that challenges students to work in teams of five, showcasing their knowledge across four core disciplines: Forestry, Wildlife, Soils, and Aquatics. High school participants face an additional challenge, delivering a formal oral presentation on a designated special topic. This year’s focus was non-point source pollution — a timely and critical subject in environmental stewardship, addressing the runoff and contamination that reaches water bodies from diffuse sources such as agricultural land, urban areas, and construction sites.

Preparation and Training

Success at Envirothon requires far more than a single day of competition. In the weeks and months leading up to the event, student teams devoted significant time to studying each discipline and crafting their oral presentations. Preparation reached a key milestone on February 17, 2026, when participants attended a structured training day at which professionals from various fields provided expert instruction across all competition topics. This hands-on exposure helped students connect classroom learning to real-world environmental challenges.

Competition Results

When the scores were tallied, Broadwater Academy emerged as the top high school team, earning first place under the guidance of Coach Sandra Thornton. The winning team included: Elise Adler, Bradley Carlsen, Virginia Custis, Thomas Eno, Susanna Long, Sofia Rader, and Noah Rudmin.

Rounding out the high school podium, Arcadia High School Team A claimed second place, coached by Joseph Pentason, with team members Emily Grimm, Jacob Hughes, Kendell Fisher Jr., Laura Wenzel, and Juan Gonzalez-Miranda. Arcadia High School Team B finished in third place.

In the middle school division, Broadwater Academy also took the top spot, with Cape Charles Christian Team A finishing second and Cape Charles Christian Team B placing third.

Advancing Through the Ranks

The top two high school finishers — Broadwater Academy and Arcadia High School Team A — earned the right to represent the Eastern Shore at the Area VI Envirothon. There, Broadwater Academy delivered another strong performance, finishing third overall.

That third-place finish was enough to advance Broadwater Academy to the Virginia State Envirothon, where the team continued to impress. Though they narrowly missed the top spot, Broadwater earned second place in the Oral Presentation category — a remarkable achievement and a testament to the hard work invested by both students and their coach in tackling the complex topic of non-point source pollution.

Congratulations to all participating students, coaches, and the organizers who made the 2026 Eastern Shore Envirothon a success. Events like these play a vital role in cultivating the next generation of environmental stewards right here on the Eastern Shore.

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Wayne Creed

Administrator

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