2026 Rules & Information
Regional Level
B. be from the same school, non-traditional school, or youth organization as the
original competing team,
C. have participated in an Envirothon program/training prior to being named as an
alternate
D. complete all team member registration forms, including the Student Code of
Conduct, medical, and photo/video release by the state registration deadline.
No alternate will be made during the state competition if a team does not designate
alternates during the Indiana Envirothon State team registration process. Alternates
will not attend the Indiana State Envirothon unless there is an emergency, illness, or
unresolvable time conflict. In this case, the regional coordinator must be notified as
soon as possible so the substitution can be made. The regional coordinator will
notify the Vice President immediately so that notification can be given to the
registration team.
State Level
- Students must be enrolled in grades 9-12 at the start of the current year’s competition to be eligible. Team alternates should attend at the regional level. Non-competing students/children cannot attend.
- Teams must consist of five students from the same school, non-traditional school, or youth organization. One alternate per team is highly recommended. Teams of four may participate but can’t place and therefore will not be considered to go to the Indiana State competition. Alternates not part of the five-member team will not be allowed at the team table during testing. Alternates may be grouped together to take tests for the experience but are not able to place at the contest.
- Schools or organizations can participate in one regional competition annually.
- The registration fee for the regional level is $70 for each team. This fee covers six students (5 team members and an alternate) and one advisor. Each additional person (i.e. a bus driver, extra coach or chaperone, etc.) will incur an $8.00 fee.
- A school or organization may send up to two 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.
- Participants (and their parents if a minor) must sign and turn in completed Code of Conduct form, medical release, and photo/video release before the competition begins. Each regional coordinator will develop their own process for this and communicate it with their registered teams. The regional coordinator will upload these forms for the regional team(s) advancing to state in the appropriate regional Indiana Envirothon Google Docs Folder.
- Tobacco and vapor products (including smokeless), alcoholic beverages, illicit/illegal drugs, and weapons, including firearms and knives are not allowed at the Indiana Envirothon regionals or state competitions. This includes all adults at the venue for the Indiana Envirothon (coaches, chaperones, bus drivers, etc.) as well.
- School dress code/appropriate dress will apply. Be prepared for inclement weather. Contests will take place during rain, snow or shine unless a weather emergency is declared for the area.
- Possession or use of cell phones or other electronic devices (including smart watches) by students at any Envirothon Contest is prohibited. Advisors may hold these items, or they may be left in backpacks or locked vehicles. If a student needs to be close to their phone for medical alerts or other important reasons, the regional coordinator and the coach will work out a solution with the safety of the student coming first.
- Coaches and alternates will accompany their teams during the resource presentations at the regional competitions and supervise students during all non-testing time.
- Notes may be taken during each resource presentation but cannot be used during the testing period. Please bring your own materials to take notes.
- Regional competitions will consist of 20 questions per test (100 questions total). This includes a couple of hands-on questions in each area of concentration. All tests will be given at one time after teams have rotated through all five resource presentations. Test questions will cover information in the suggested reference material listed on the Indiana Envirothon website. Team members work together to answer test questions, submitting one completed test per team for each resource subject.
- Scores (events and final) for each team will be shared with all teams following the regional competition. The regional coordinator, or assigned representative, will also upload the regional competition information to their regional folder in the Indiana Envirothon Google Drive.
- The top performing teams at each regional will advance to the Indiana Envirothon State competition. In general, regionals hosting 1 - 7 teams will send 1 team to the state competition; 8 - 14 teams will send 2 teams; and 15 + teams will send 3 teams. The exact number of teams at the regional level invited to compete at the state level is subject to change and will be determined based on regional registration numbers. This will be determined by the Executive Committee with input from Steering Committee members. The maximum number of teams at the state competition is 18.
- Regional coordinators will certify all teams advancing to state from their regional competitions within one week of their competition. This includes listing all team members of the advancing team(s), two alternates for each team, and their coach along with contact information and team name. Alternates must:
B. be from the same school, non-traditional school, or youth organization as the
original competing team,
C. have participated in an Envirothon program/training prior to being named as an
alternate
D. complete all team member registration forms, including the Student Code of
Conduct, medical, and photo/video release by the state registration deadline.
No alternate will be made during the state competition if a team does not designate
alternates during the Indiana Envirothon State team registration process. Alternates
will not attend the Indiana State Envirothon unless there is an emergency, illness, or
unresolvable time conflict. In this case, the regional coordinator must be notified as
soon as possible so the substitution can be made. The regional coordinator will
notify the Vice President immediately so that notification can be given to the
registration team.
State Level
- Teams must have advanced from a regional competition and have been certified by that regional coordinator to be eligible. Teams must consist of the original five-member team from their regional unless there is an emergency, illness, or unresolvable time conflict and a pre-identified alternate fills in. See rule 15 under Regional Level for more information, above.
- A maximum of 18 teams will advance to the Indiana Envirothon State competition. (See rule 14 under Regional level for more information, above.)
- Only materials identified by the Indiana State Envirothon may be used by the students during testing, and/or oral preparation and presentation portions of the competition. Oral presentation materials, including note cards, will be dropped off in a designated area prior to the competition. No notecards are allowed anywhere EXCEPT at the Oral Presentations. Team(s) will be disqualified if found with and/or studying notecards (or other study materials) outside of Oral Presentations during competition hours (9:00AM-12:00PM).
- No electronic equipment or devices may be used by or be in the possession of team members during testing, the hands-on portion, or oral presentation delivery unless such equipment is provided by the Indiana State Envirothon competition committee, and/or approved by the committee (such as to compensate for a physical or mental disability) prior to the start of the competition.
- Registration fee for the Indiana State competition is $75 per team. This covers 5 students and one advisor. Extra people (bus drivers or an additional coach) will incur an additional fee of $8.00.
- The following are strictly prohibited at any and all Envirothon functions; student participants may not be in possession of or use tobacco and vapor products (including smokeless), alcoholic beverages, illegal/illicit drugs, weapons (including firearms and knives). This includes adults at the venue for the Indiana Envirothon (coaches, chaperones, bus drivers, volunteers, etc.).
- School dress code/appropriate dress will apply. Be prepared for inclement weather. The hands-on component will take place outside.
- Scores (events and final) for each team will be shared with all teams following the state competition. No scores will be shared before the Awards Ceremony.
- Coaches are not to accompany teams to any testing area including the hand-on and oral presentation components. Team coaches found in the hands-on areas or presentation rooms will be cause for team dismissal and disqualification from the Indiana Envirothon state competition. Coaches will accompany and supervise their team(s) during all non-testing time. This is generally during registration and the introduction (to ~8:55 AM), lunch, and the afternoon presentations (unless their team re-presents) and awards ceremony.
- The competition consists of a written test and a hands-on component that cover the five areas (Forestry, Land and Soil, Aquatics, Wildlife, and the Current Issue), and the oral presentation. The total possible scores from each component are: written test -100 pts.; hands-on - 50 pts.; and the oral presentation - 100 pts. for a total of 250 pts.
- The top three teams (as well as the top team from possible non-represented rooms) from the preliminary oral presentation component in the morning are required to re-present in front of the final judging panel and their peers in the afternoon. Scores from this final round of orals will be used to determine overall placements. In other words, for those who are re-presenting their preliminary (morning) scores will not be used to determine the top three oral presentations or the overall award winners. If for any reason a top team decides not to re-present they will receive a re-presentation score of zero.
- In the event there is a procedural dispute or question not covered in this information (or in its addendum), the issue will be decided by the Indiana Envirothon Appeals Committee. The Indiana Envirothon Vice-President is the Chair of this committee. The appeals form, located on the Indiana Envirothon website (indianaenvirothon.com), should be filled out and submitted by 5:00 PM the day after the state competition.
- The top three 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. The state winning team is eligible to compete at the NCF-Envirothon. If the state winning team cannot participate, the second-place team and then the third-place team may represent Indiana at the NCF Envirothon. The final decision as to which team will represent Indiana at the NCF-Envirothon will be made by the Indiana Envirothon Board and Steering Committee.
- During the NCF-Envirothon registration period, the team advisor should designate up to two 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 two chaperones and is paid by the Indiana Envirothon.
- 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.
- The decision of the Indiana State Envirothon Officers and/or Steering Committee on this matter will be final.
- For more information go to the NCF Envirothon Rules & Regulations found at https://envirothon.org/the-competition/rules-regulations/