Wake County students have reached a new milestone at the North Carolina Envirothon, as Enloe High School’s Subchronic Exposure team captured its fifth consecutive state championship and secured a place at the International NCF Envirothon July 19–25 in Starkville, Miss.
Out of 47 high school teams competing statewide, Wake County teams delivered an impressive showing, with Enloe High School leading the way: Subchronic Exposure took first place, Flaming Drip Torches earned second place and Benthic Dwellers finished fourth.
“Enloe’s continued success at the Envirothon is a remarkable achievement and a point of pride for Wake County,” said Wake County Commissioner Susan Evans. “Their dedication, teamwork and depth of knowledge in environmental science truly stand out, and we are excited to see them represent our community at the international level.”
Enloe High School has now won the state Envirothon championship nine times overall. The current team, Claire Skinner, Danica Cheaz, Iris Wang, Saya Newton and Angelina Li, has also set a new state record by advancing to the International NCF Envirothon three consecutive years, where it placed fourth in each of the past two years. Alternates include Estella Cheaz, Caroline Huang and Bryan England.
Behind this success is Coach Chad Ogren, who has led Enloe’s Envirothon program since 1998–99, marking 28 years of dedication to environmental education. Co-advisor Karen Howard has also played an important role in supporting the team’s achievements.
“My expectations are for them to do as well as they can and make themselves proud,” Ogren said. “You can’t ask for more than that, and we’ll enjoy every minute of time together.”
The Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District supports the team by providing educational materials and covering part of the costs. The Envirothon is one of its environmental education programs and is a hands-on environmental science competition for middle and high school students.
