High school students from across McKean and Cameron County gathered on Thursday, April 30^th to test their environmental knowledge and skills at the annual McKean County Conservation District Envirothon, also known locally as the “Wild” Envirothon at the McKean County Fair Grounds in Smethport PA. Over 100 students participated in the event from both Cameron and McKean Counties. That group included students from Cameron County High School, Bradford Area High School, Kane Area High School, Otto-Eldred High School, Port Allegany High School, and Smethport Area High School. “It’s encouraging to see so many young people interested in conservation and natural resource management,” said McKean County Conservation District Manager, Sandy Thompson.

The annual “Wild” Envirothon is an outdoor academic competition that challenges teams of five students to demonstrate their understanding of natural resource topics, including aquatics, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, and a current environmental issue. The 2026 Pennsylvania Envirothon Current Issue is “Non-Point Source Pollution: It begins at home!”. Participants rotate through a series of hands-on testing stations, where they apply classroom knowledge to real-world environmental scenarios.

During this hands-on competition, students were asked to measure a tree…identify a frog or toad call…and determine soil erosion potential according to a soil survey. They work as a 5-member team to answer questions, and use their critical thinking to find solutions to reality-based situations.

“The Envirothon provides students with a unique opportunity to engage directly with the environment while developing practical knowledge,” said Sarah Carlson, District Resource Technician and the McKean County Conservation District Envirothon Coordinator.

Partners helping to make the day possible included DCNR Bureau of Forestry, PA Game Commission, USDA Natural Resources & Conservation Service, The McKean County Planning Commission, as well as staff and volunteers from the Cameron and McKean County Conservation Districts.

The event was sponsored by McKean and Cameron County Conservation Districts, McKean County Fair Grounds, American Refining Group, The International Group, Inc., Casella Waste Management, Upper Allegheny Watershed Association, Zook Motors, Lafayette Township, Dresser Utility Solutions, Kiwanis Club of Bradford, Kane Elks Lodge, Kane Save A Lot, Team Minard Screen Printing & Embroidery, McKean County E-Sales, Kessel Construction Company, Pine Valley Nurseries, Miller-Raffaele VFW Auxiliary Post 6221, North Point Contracting, Solveson Contracting, Cameron County Outdoor Youth Activities, May Hollow Sportsmen, Cameron County Vet’s club, Emporium Food Market, J. Ream Engineering, Sinnemahoning Sportsman Association, Emporium Hardwoods, and IUE-CWA Union Workers of G.E. Motor Coils of Emporium.

The overall Winning Team for McKean County was the Bradford Bees – Cecily Bell, Emmy Kemick, Autumn Neumann, Joe Bukowski, Jake Whitlow, led by their Advisor, Jan Russell. This year, the Bradford Bees won four out of the five stations, taking the lead in Wildlife, Aquatics, Forestry, and Soils for an overall score of 439 points. Second place McKean County team was the Mighty Massasuga from Smethport Area High School with an overall score of 371 total points – Madelyn McKean, Hannah Taylor, Nick Learn, Fisher Szuba, Mara Ours, led by their Advisor Kelly Tarbox. The third place winners were the Tufted Titmouses, also from Bradford Area High, with a total score of 367 – Lillian South, Willow Vibbert, Sydney Saffran, Isaac Wallace, and Baylee Stark, led by Advisor Rich Bierbower.   

The Bradford Bees will go on to represent McKean County at the 2026 Pennsylvania Envirothon State Competition scheduled for May 20, 2026, at Camp Mount Luther in Mifflinburg, PA.