Lane Tech, Downers Grove take top honors at 2025 Northeastern Illinois Envirothon

What a whirlwind of two days! For the 2025 Northeastern Illinois Envirothon competition, more than 145 students on 29 teams from 19 Northeastern Illinois high schools competed on the topics of aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and this year’s current issue: “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change.”

The Morton Arboretum Thornhill Education Center in Lisle was our gracious host site.

Congratulations to the Northeastern Regional winner Lane Tech College Prep in Chicago! They persevered in a first-ever tiebreaker in this region.

The Northeastern Illinois Future Farmers of America division winner was Downers Grove North High School. These teams will advance to the state competition at the 4-H Memorial Camp and Retreat Center in Monticello on May 5-6.

State winners will go head-to-head in Alberta, Canada at nationals this summer, with the winning team receiving scholarships.

This annual competitive, problem-solving event is coordinated by soil and water conservation districts nationwide, challenging students in areas of environmental concern though written and laboratory tests, as well as oral presentation.

The objectives are threefold:

• to test environmental knowledge and understanding of natural resource issues of today and into the future;

• to cultivate future careers in environmental fields;

• to hone team building and enhance communications skills.

Adlai Stevenson High School Team 1 took second place overall, Glenbard West High School took overall third.

Northeastern Illinois Regional county winners are: Batavia High School (Kane), Glenbard West High School (DuPage), DeKalb High School (DeKalb), Lane Tech College Prep (Cook), Adlai Stevenson High School Team 1 (Lake), Cary-Grove High School Team 2 (McHenry), Belvidere High School (Boone), Plainfield South High School (Will) and Durand High School (Winnebago). This year, all of the regional counties fielded teams.

The 2025 Northeastern Illinois Envirothon was coordinated by soil and water conservation districts from Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will and Winnebago counties.

This year’s sponsors included the Morton Arboretum, DeKalb County Pheasants Forever, Kane County, Hey and Associates Inc., Blink Tees, Sporty’s Restaurant & Catering, and the Illinois Arborist Association.

For more information on Envirothon to plan for 2026 or to become a sponsor, visit kanedupageswcd.org/kd/envirothon.