High school has always been a place where students explore many realms of interest. Maybe it’s with certain core classes or electives in various fields of study. Maybe students want to try out a new sport or join a club that they’re interested in. One specific club at Spartanburg High School, though, has quietly been achieving great success on a national level. This would be the school’s Envirothon Club.
Envirothon is an international program and competition that over 25,000 high school students across the United States, Canada, China and Singapore are part of. The program is a part of the National Conservation Foundation, which is why the national competition is called NCF-Envirothon. Envirothon is a problem-solving, teambuilding and leadership club which incorporates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) principles, hands-on learning and outdoor field experiences.
The program focuses on the specific fields of aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife and current environmental issues. Students must think critically and creatively to come up with solutions to tackle various real-world problems in both local and global settings.
Spartan High’s Envirothon Club first began in 1999 under adviser Rob Wilder. Wilder pitched the idea of the club to his two AP Environmental Science classes and had five students end up joining. They formed the school’s first Envirothon team and ended up winning state and travelling to California for the national competition.
Ever since, the Viking’s Envirothon team has made a name for itself on both the state and national level. Students and advisors on the South Carolina state-winning team get monetary prizes, but, for some, there is a bigger reward to winning than money.
Wilder noted the school’s accomplishments in the program and what he believes is the most impactful part of winning state.
“Success breeds success. Spartanburg High School has won the State Envirothon 18 times and has placed as high as third twice at the NCF-Envirothon competition,” Wilder said. “The greatest part and ultimate prize about winning state is the trip to NCF-Envirothon. It is an experience that you just cannot describe and give justice to.”
NCF-Envirothon hosts teams from many US states, but, like mentioned previously, teams are also invited from certain Canadian provinces, Singapore and China. The national competition offers students a chance to compete with teams from all across the country and the world, displaying a large variety of unique ideas and solutions to environmental issues.
Levi Lazenby (12) is a member of the Spartan High club and enjoyed winning the state competition last year and going to the NCF-Envirothon competition in the summer.
“My favorite experience from the club was last year when we won the state competition and got a free trip to Canada for the NCF competition in July,” Lazenby said. “It was really cool to meet people from many areas of the US, China and Canada too.”
On April 17, at Clemson Sandhill REC in Columbia, SC, the 2026 SHS team did it again. The team of Lazenby, Miriam Page (11), Oliver Querin (12), Maya Abouelenein (12) and Sydney Mullman (12) won the 2026 SC Envirothon Competition and will now go to the NCF-Envirothon competition. The national competition will be held at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, from July 19-25.
Page was a key member for the team in winning this year and is eager for the national stage, especially since this year’s focused issue is Non-Point Source Pollution.
“This year, I’ve enjoyed taking a deep dive into pollution and how to prevent it in the future,” Page said. “I’m looking forward to meeting new people at nationals and learning more before the competition.”
Out of the many shining clubs, teams and students at Spartanburg High School, the Envirothon team is truly making a name for itself and is changing the world along the way.
