Local Students Lead the Way at 2026 East Central Indiana Regional Envirothon
By Nick Werner
Embedded Files
The Ball State University Environmental Education Center once again served as the hub for the 2026 East Central Indiana Regional Envirothon, a competition sponsored by Indiana’s Soil & Water Conservation Districts that continues to expand in scope and impact.
This year’s event, which took place March 19, featured seven teams and provided high school students with a unique opportunity to engage with natural resource professionals and take tests that challenge their expertise across five critical environmental categories.
Neela Cormier-Marri, a senior at the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, described the Envirothon as more than a learning experience.
Neela was on one of two teams from the Indiana Academy that competed. She is already involved in the Muncie Composting Initiative and has an interest in environmental restoration in urban areas.
“The Envirothon enables us to spread more awareness and make educated change in our community,” Neela said.
Envirothon offers a platform for students to explore their interests in environmental science through a rigorous academic lens, said Indiana Academy sophomore Julia Rogers. The competition challenges teams in five areas: aquatic ecology, wildlife, forestry, soil/land use, and a rotating special current issue. For 2026, that special topic was "Non-Point Source Pollution.”
“I decided to get involved because I plan on going into an environmental science field, and I just really care about learning more about that field and getting involved with it,” Julia said.
The Rise of the "Roly-Polies"
The 2026 regional saw a great performance by the Indiana Academy.
Their top team, aptly named the "Roly-Polies," secured first place, while another team from the school finished third. The Roly-Polies, which included Neela, Julia, and three other students, utilized a strategic approach where "each specialized in one specific area, and studied mainly that topic" before collaborating on the final exam.
The victory was a moment of pure excitement for the team. Neela recalled that when the results were announced, "Julia was jumping out of her seat and then went around and bear hugged me."
For Julia, the win provided a significant boost in self-assurance.
"It was really comforting to see that I have the strength and that I am capable of moving on to state,” she said. “It was great for my confidence.”
Beyond the Classroom
One of the hallmarks of the regional event is the interaction with working professionals.
Before the testing began, students attended presentations from experts, including a soils professor and a PhD student specializing in aquatic ecology. Neela highlighted the value of these sessions.
"It was more specific to Indiana and also more so even more specific to Muncie too,” she said.
Advisor Donald Winslow, who has sponsored the Academy's teams for several years, emphasized that the Envirothon offers a perspective different from traditional schoolwork.
"It provides them with a broader outlook on the field of environmental science,” he said. “I’m very proud of our students. They did an excellent job.”
Preparing for the 2026 State Contest
With their regional victory, the Roly-Polies have advanced to the Indiana State Contest, scheduled for April 29, at Purdue University’s Beck Agricultural Center in West Lafayette.
The state level increases the stakes, requiring teams to conduct in-depth research and present a strategic initiative to a panel of judges. Neela is particularly excited about the move toward research-based work.
"It’ll be something that all five of us find interesting and are passionate about,” she said. “It goes beyond learning and regurgitating information."
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