TENNESSEE ENVIROTHON RULES & REGULATIONS (Revised February 19, 2023)
The Tennessee (TN) Envirothon competition will be conducted under the following rules and regulations, as provided by the TN Envirothon Committee (TEC). The TEC consists of members of the TN RC&D Executive Committee and the TN Envirothon Program Manager (TN EPM). The TN Envirothon provides critical thinking development to our future environmental leaders so they may address the issues that may exponentially grow in future generations. The Envirothon is of indeterminable value and continues to seek partners and sponsorship opportunities.
1. Team Eligibility Requirements
1.1. The TN Envirothon Annual Competition is open to students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 or equivalent home school ranking in the school year immediately preceding the current competition. Students must have reached age 14, and be no older than 19, by August 8th of the current competition year.
1.2. Each Active RC&D Council and/or other pre-approved Regional Envirothon Competition is entitled to send one team to the current year’s State Envirothon Competition.:
Council who is actively participating in the TN RC&D Council, Inc., by paying the current year’s membership dues prior to the Annual State Envirothon Competition, participating in TN RC&D Council meetings, and communicating with TEC, TN EPM, other councils, and their members.
1.2.2. Team must have competed in the current year’s Annual Regional/Area Envirothon competition in order to compete at the Annual State Envirothon Competition.
1.2.3. All teams must be affiliated with their local Active RC&D Council, a local Tennessee Soil Conservation District, or other equivalent conservation agency.
1.2.4. All team members and advisors must read, agree to, and sign the Tennessee Envirothon Rules and Regulations (most recently approved) to be eligible to participate at the Annual TN State Envirothon Competition.
1.2.5. All team members must sign the Student Medical Release Form and all advisors, coaches and chaperones must sign the Attendee Medical Release form in order to participate in the TN Envirothon competition. No team member, advisor, coach or chaperone will be allowed at the contest or participate in the contest without signing the respective Medical Release Form. All students, advisors, coaches and chaperones must provide proof of health insurance in order to participate.
1.2.6. Teams without Active RC&D Council representation may compete in the closest Regional Envirothon Competition or a pre-approved organized Area Competition under the sponsorship of the TN Association of Conservation Districts (TACD). Only the highest scoring team from among those teams will advance to the State Annual Envirothon Competition to represent TACD as the ‘At-Large’ team.
1.2.7. At the discretion of the TEC and TN EPM, the next highest scoring team(s) from among all teams competing at the Regional/Area competitions may be allowed to attend the Annual State Envirothon Competition as (a) ‘Wild Card’ team(s).
1.3. Each Team will consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of five members from the same school, home-schooled group, or local organization. Only five (5) member teams are eligible to advance from the State Envirothon competition to the National (North American) competition. The inclusion of three (3) or four (4) member teams in Regional/Area and State Envirothon competitions provides students an exposure to the professionals who understand our present and future conservation needs at the local, state and national level.
1.3.1 Each school is permitted to send a maximum of two teams to the Regional/Area Envirothon Competition (maximum of two home-schooled teams per county) for judging, as long as they have the same coach. For example: Teams may represent science clubs, 4-H, FFA, Youth Boards, or other conservation related groups. The same coach cannot be coaching, supervising, or chaperoning more than two teams per county. More than two teams per school may be allowed to attend and participate at Regional/Area Competitions without their scores being ranked in the competition, if permitted by the local contest host representative.
1.3.2. All teams are requested to submit the names of alternate team members at registration for the Regional/Area Envirothon Competitions. Team members from the same school with the same coach may be listed as alternates for the other team. Alternate team members may then substitute for regular team members at Regional/Area and State Envirothon Competitions, if properly registered at the Regional/Area Envirothon Competition. Alternate students may NOT attend the competition if they are not needed to substitute for another student.
1.3.3. More than two team member substitutions at any competition must be approved by the Regional/Area Envirothon Competition Contact (for Regional/Area competitions) or the TN EPM (for the Annual State Envirothon Competition). For the Annual State Envirothon Competition, the number of substitutions cannot exceed a simple majority of those who participated on the winning team at the Annual Regional/Area competition. If alternate substitutions are not available or allowed, the next team placing is to be given the opportunity to attend the next higher level of competition.
1.3.4. All Registration forms must be legible and received for the Regional/Area and/or Annual State Envirothon Competition by designated deadlines along with any stated entry/registration fees unless pre-arranged with the Regional/Area contacts or the TN EPM, respectively. Failure to do so may be ruled default with the next highest-ranking team ruled eligible to attend. Regional/Area contacts may revise Pre-registration forms, at the team coach’s request, for their respective competing teams, based on team member availability on the day of the Regional/Area Competition.
1.3.5 Only five (5) member teams may advance from the Annual TN State Envirothon Competition to the Annual National Envirothon Competition. If the First-Place winning team at the Annual TN State Envirothon competition contains less than 5 eligible members, the next highest scoring five (5) member team will represent TN and advance to the Annual National Envirothon Competition.
1.4. Each team must be accompanied by an adult team advisor(s)/chaperone(s) and/or a public agency or Soil Conservation District Representative(s). Advisor/chaperone must remain on site while their team is at the competition.
1.5. The team representing TN at the Annual National (North American) Envirothon Competition will follow the most recently approved National (North American) Envirothon Competition.
1.5.1. The team representing TN will be required to provide an adult male chaperone, age 21 or older, for any male team member(s) and an adult female, age 21 or older, for chaperone for any female team member(s).
1.5.2. The team representing TN will be required to provide insurance coverage for all team
members, chaperones, and any guests (if allowed) who attend the Annual National Envirothon Competition.
1.5.3. Teams advancing to the Annual National Envirothon Competition are responsible for their National Envirothon Registration Fees, along with travel and expenses, to and from, and during the contest. Financial assistance may be provided by the TEC, Councils, and other organizations or individuals.
1.5.4. All deadlines must be adhered to for the Annual State Envirothon Competition and National Envirothon Competition as set by the NCF-Envirothon Operating Committee (NCFEOC) and the TN EPM, respectively, for prompt certification and registration requirements. Failure to comply may result in default with the next highest scoring team deemed eligible to attend the competition.
1.5.5 All team members of the team representing TN advancing to the National (North American) Envirothon Competition must have competed in the current year’s TN Envirothon Competition at either the Regional/Area or State level competition.
1.6. Advisors/chaperones are responsible for their student’s behavior and actions.
1.7. The TN RC&D Envirothon and TN RC&D Committee will not be responsible for improperly chaperoned teams.
1.8. All team members and advisors are required to attend all scheduled functions, to be prompt, and show respect to those in the audience and at the podium. Team members and
advisors/chaperones may not leave the campus or competition during the Regional/Area or State Envirothon Competition without notifying the Regional/Area contact or the TN EPM, respectively. If an advisor/coach/chaperone must leave the competition, then another advisor/coach, chaperone must take their place in order for the students to be chaperoned especially during the State Contest which involves overnight lodging. The TN EPM must be notified of these changes.
2. Competition
2.1. The TN EPM will identify and/or provide reference materials to assist students in their
preparation for the Annual TN Envirothon Competitions. References may include printed materials, websites, or other sources of information about natural resources or environmental issues.
2.2. The Annual TN Envirothon Competitions will be conducted by personnel employed by
cooperating local, state, and federal agencies or independent environmental organizations. Teams may not contact personnel responsible for designing, preparing, writing, or creating any portions of an Envirothon Competition test to request information and/or coaching prior to an Envirothon competition.
2.3. Only materials identified by the TEC may be used by the students during the training, testing, and the oral competition preparation portion of the Annual TN State Envirothon Competition.
2.4. No electronic, battery-powered, or solar powered equipment (i.e., cell phones) may be used by or be in the possession of team members during the Annual TN Envirothon Competitions, including the instructional periods, field testing, oral presentation preparation, or oral presentations unless such equipment is provided by the Regional/Area Envirothon Competition Contact or the TN EPM for use during the competition. Prior approval may be granted by the Regional Area Envirothon Competition Contact or the TN EPM to provide for the use of specific equipment to compensate for limiting physical or mental challenges.
2.5. Cheating, in any fashion or format, is not permitted by students, advisors, chaperones, or guests during study sessions, field tests, orals preparation or orals presentations.
2.6. Training and testing sites:
2.6.1. Any team, team member, team advisor/chaperone, or resource person associated with a team discovered on, near, or around the training site, test site or testing stations prior to the competition may be subject to immediate disqualification.
2.6.2. Any team, team member, team advisor/chaperone, or resource person associated with a team discovered on, near, or around the test site or testing stations other than only during scheduled times during the competition may be subject to immediate disqualification.
2.7. No advisor or other non-team leader is to provide input in any manner to his/her students once the oral presentation has been presented at the Annual TN State Envirothon Competition. This will continue from the moment of the original presentation, through the student question period, preparation, and final presentations. This does not limit the advisors from interacting with their students as long as it is understood that there will be absolutely no discussion of the presentation topic or the execution of the presentation. Sufficient personnel will be available to provide adequate advice and direction for team members.
2.8. No animal, other than a service animal on which the individual is physically dependent, will be allowed at the Annual TN Envirothon Competitions. Animals used for the purpose of training, testing, or demonstration will be permitted.
2.9. The Regional/Area Contacts will observe deadlines requested by the TEC and/or TN EPM unless prior arrangements are made.
2.10. The decision of the Regional/Area Envirothon Competition Contact and/or the TN EPM will be final with the TN EPM being the higher authority.
3. Scoring
3.1. The Annual TN Envirothon Competition is scored in 5 stations: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, and a Current Environmental Issue which is selected by the National Envirothon Operating Committee.
3.2. At the Annual Regional/Area Envirothon Competitions, scores from each of the 5 stations are totaled for a total high score per team.
3.3. At the Annual TN State Envirothon Competition, each of the 5 stations will comprise 1/7th of the total score; the oral presentation will comprise 2/7th of the total score.
3.4. Tiebreakers for the Annual TN Envirothon Competitions shall be as follows: The Current Issue score; Soils score; Aquatics score; Forestry score; and Wildlife score.
3.5. The highest scoring team from each Annual Regional Envirothon Competition will advance to the Annual TN State Envirothon Competition.
3.6. Teams without Active RC&D Council representation may compete in the closest Regional Envirothon Competition or a pre-approved organized Area Competition under the sponsorship of the TACD. The highest scoring team from among those teams will advance to the Annual State Envirothon Competition to represent TACD as the ‘At-Large’ team.
3.7. The next highest scoring team(s) from among all teams competing at the Regional/Area competitions may be allowed to attend the Annual State Envirothon Competition as (a) ‘Wild Card’ team(s) at the discretion of the TEC and TN EPM. The presence of ‘Wild Card’ teams or the number of ‘Wild Card’ teams will be determined at the beginning of each competition year by the TEC.
3.8 The team’s advisor will notify their Regional/Area Envirothon Contact and the TN EPM within one week if they are unable to attend the Annual TN State Envirothon Competition in order for the next available highest scoring team to attend.
3.8. The highest scoring five (5) member team from the Annual State Envirothon Competition will advance to the National Envirothon Competition. The team’s advisor will notify the TN EPM within two weeks if they are unable to attend the Annual National Envirothon Competition in order for the next available highest scoring five (5) member team to attend.
3.9. Station leader scoring will be final at the completion of each individual Annual TN Envirothon Competition.
3.10. Tests may be taken apart at each station event to be completed by different team members and reattached prior to submitting to the station leader for scoring.
3.11. All tests at each Annual TN Envirothon Competitions are to be retained the day of the
competition and NOT PROVIDED to any student, advisor/chaperone, volunteer, other professional, and/or guest.
4. Conduct
4.1. TN Envirothon participants, their advisors/chaperones, volunteers, and professionals have an excellent reputation for honesty, sportsmanship and integrity. Conduct at the Annual TN Envirothon Competition function should make a positive contribution to the reputation that has been established by those who have previously participated.
4.2. The TN Envirothon Program and its participants operate on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status or physical/mental challenges.
4.3. Student/minor guest conduct is the responsibility of the student/minor guest and his/her advisor/chaperone.
4.4. Adult participants conduct is the responsibility of each individual at the event.
4.5. Individual behavior at all times should be such that it is a positive reflection upon the individual, their school, the local/TN RC&D Council, the Soil Conservation District, and the TN Envirothon Program.
4.6. Participants are expected to attend all scheduled activities, be prompt, and show respect to those in the audience, and at the podium. Team members and advisors/chaperones may not leave the campus or competition during the Regional/Area or Annual State Envirothon Competition without notifying the Regional/Area contact or the TN EPM, respectively.
4.7. All attendees are expected to observe the designated agenda and curfew times.
4.8. All attendees are expected to observe the designated agenda and curfew time.
4.9. Any participant determined to be responsible for stealing, vandalism, or fighting will be
expected to pay for any and all damages. If a student, the responsible party will be his/her parents. They will be disqualified or deemed unqualified as a member of their team or as an adult coach or chaperone.
4.10. No tobacco or vapor products (including smokeless) will be used by individuals in tobacco-free areas. No alcoholic beverages or illegal/illicit drugs will be used or possessed anywhere on the Regional/Area or Annual State Envirothon Competition campus.
4.11. Anyone determined to be disregarding the TN Envirothon Rules and Regulations will be asked to leave the event at their own expense. They will be disqualified or deemed unqualified as a member of their team or as an adult coach or chaperone.
This status may remain throughout the next competition year based upon the ruling of the TEC and the TN EPM. The Tennessee Rules and Regulations above apply to each TN Envirothon completion held within the State of Tennessee.
TENNESSEE ENVIROTHON RULES & REGULATIONS approved February 19, 2023 by the TN RC&D
Council, Inc. Revised February 19, 2023 A signed form is required in order to complete registration and participation at the Annual TN
STATE ENVIROTHON COMPETITION. Sign below if you have read and clearly understand each of the most recently approved TENNESSEE ENVIROTHON RULES AND REGULATIONS.
Please download the rule sheet (top of this page). All advisors/chaperones and team members must sign.