Students compete in 39th-annual Pike/Wayne Envirothon
Young Life. Delaware Valley High School’s team, “Gopher Gold,” claimed the top spot.
| 14 Apr 2026 | 02:44
From left: Pike County Commissioner Christa Caceres, Gopher Gold team members Ruby Bailor, Ella Dong, Daisy Olivo Heller, Andria Prime, and Jackson Hancock, Gopher Gold advisor Bernadine Salak, Pike County Commissioner Ron Schmalzle, and Wayne County Commissioner Jocelyn Cramer. (
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On Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 104 students and teachers from high schools across Pike and Wayne Counties joined their two-county conservation districts for a full day of friendly competition and science education at the thirty-ninth annual Pike/Wayne Envirothon.
This one-day hands-on competition co-hosted by the Pike County Conservation District (PCCD) and Wayne Conservation District (WCD) tests students’ knowledge in five diverse topics, ranging from forestry and wildlife to soils and land use, aquatic ecology and a current issues topic. This year, the current issues topic was “Non-Point Source Pollution: It begins at home!”
Although the competition itself lasts just one day, teams spend weeks preparing and studying together for the chance to win the Envirothon trophy, earn a variety of outdoor-themed prizes, and qualify for the state-wide Pennsylvania Envirothon.
Each test and the study packets provided to students prior to the competition are curated by leaders in their fields, and many local professionals attend the event to engage with the participating students. Federal, state, and local partners include PA Fish & Boat Commission, PA Game Commission, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PA Department of Environmental Protection, PA Envirothon, Lake Wallenpaupack Management District, Northern Tier Hardwood Association, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Penn State Extension, and the Pike County Planning and Mapping Office.
This year 18 teams representing Cannan Christian Academy, Honesdale High School, Western Wayne High School, Wallenpaupack Area High School, and Delaware Valley High School, joined for the event. Each school put forth an impressive effort, but Delaware Valley High School’s team, “Gopher Gold,” ultimately claimed the top spot. They will be moving on to the Pennsylvania Envirothon to represent Pike County at the state-wide event. Wayne County’s highest scoring team, the “Nature Ninjas” from Honesdale High School, will also be traveling to the Pennsylvania Envirothon to represent Wayne County.