Rules & Information
Rules for the 2025 Contest:
- Students must be currently enrolled in grades 9-12, as of the 2024-2025 school year at the time of the regional contest to be eligible to be contestants. Non-competing students/children cannot attend.
- Teams must consist of five contestants. One alternate per team is highly recommended. Teams of 4 may use an alternate (1) from another willing team, but if that team places the team of 4 must have a candidate from their school/group to go to state contest. Alternates not part of the 5 member team will not be allowed at the team table during testing. Alternates may be grouped together to take tests for exposure, but are not able to place at the contest.
- Schools or organizations may participate in only one regional competition annually.
- Registration fee is $70 for each team. Fee covers lunches for six (6) students and one (1) advisor. Each additional person brought will be charged an $8 fee per person. Lunch will be provided. State registration fee is $75 for each team.
- A school or organization may send up to two (2) teams to the regional competition. Teams from the same school must participate in the same regional competition. If
more than two teams from the same school/organization would like to participate, permission must be requested from the regional coordinator and will be based on space availability. Regional coordinators determine the number of teams who may register for their competition. - Coaches and alternates may accompany their teams during the resource presentations at Indiana Regional Contests. Coaches and alternates are not to accompany teams to any testing area including the Hands-on Tour during the Indiana State Envirothon Contest
or judging rooms during team presentations. - A pre-designated time will be allowed at each station for resource presentations.
- Notes may be taken during each resource presentation, but cannot be used during the testing period. Please bring your own materials.
- Contest will consist of 20 questions per test (100 questions total). All tests will be given at one time after teams have rotated through all five (5) resource presentations. Test questions will cover information in the suggested reference materials listed. Team members work together to answer test questions, submitting one completed test per team for each resource subject.
- The top teams in each regional competition are eligible to compete at the state competition. (Regions with < 12 teams may send 2 teams to State and regions with 12 or more may send 3 teams to State.) In case of a tie, the Current Issue test scores
will be used to determine the teams’ placements. If a tie still remains then a predetermined order of resource subject test scores will determine placement. If a tie should still remain, the regional coordinator will determine protocol for placement and
the decision will be final. - School dress code/appropriate dress will apply. Be prepared for inclement weather. Contests will take place rain, snow or shine unless a weather emergency is declared for the area.
- The state winning team is eligible to compete at the NCF-Envirothon. If the state winning team cannot participate, the next place team may represent Indiana at the NCF-Envirothon competition. (see clarifications below)
- In the event a procedural dispute or question that is not covered in this information or in its addendum, the issue will be decided by the Indiana Envirothon Appeals Committee. With respect to test questions, the decision of the Indiana Envirothon
Test Committee is final. - Participants must sign Code of Conduct form, photo/video release and medical release. These must be received for each student upon arrival the day of contest.
- Possession or use of cell phones or other electronic devices by students at any Envirothon Contest is prohibited. Advisors may hold these items or they may be left in backpacks or locked vehicles.
- Tobacco, intoxicants, or drugs are not allowed on site.
- Scores (events and final) for each team will be shared with all teams following the regionals and the state competition.
- NOTE: Non-adherence to these rules may prevent a team from placing.
Clarification for Teams representing Indiana at the NCF-Envirothon (from above)
- The state winning team is eligible to compete at the NCF-Envirothon. (The top 3 teams from the state contest must inform the Indiana State Envirothon Officers within 10 calendar days of the state contest of their availability to attend the NCF-Envirothon.
- During the NCF-Envirothon registration period, the team advisor may designate up to two (2) additional students to serve as substitute candidates should an emergency or unresolvable time conflict prevent members of the original five member team from competing. (See NCF Envirothon rules page 3, II. Team Member Substitutions, for substitute criteria.) Registration fees cover five team members and up to 2 chaperones. Any other guests will be charged additional fees.
- The Indiana State Envirothon Officers and/or Committee will first offer the opportunity to the 2nd place team and if they are unable to participate, then the 3rd place team. If both of these teams are unable to participate, a final decision will be made by the Indiana State Envirothon Officers and/or Steering Committee to either continue down the list of teams to a pre-determined placement or choose not to have Indiana represented at the NCF-Envirothon.
- The decision of the Indiana State Envirothon Officers and/or Steering Committee on this matter will be final.
- In the event of an emergency that prevents members of the original five-member team from competing, the Indiana Envirothon Representative must certify the legitimacy of the emergency or conflict and notify NCF-Envirothon about the substitution no later than two (2) weeks prior to the start of the NCF-Envirothon Annual Competition.
- For more information go to the NCF Envirothon Rules & Regulations found at https://envirothon.org/the-competition/rules-regulations/