After navigating through Florida’s wilderness and excelling in a series of rigorous scientific tests and competitions, Trinity Prep’s Blue-Tailed Skinks placed third overall in the state at Florida Envirothon, setting a school record while representing all of Seminole County.
Envirothon is an environmentally themed academic competition where teams of high school students apply their knowledge of the natural sciences and natural resources in outdoor and written challenges. This year, the Blue-Tailed Skinks, consisting of Georgia Summers, Ajay Maniar, Jia Sood, Katia Lyakh and Matthew Gu, along with alternate Sarah Zobel, scored the highest ever for a Trinity team. Notably, they finished first in soils, second in wildlife and fourth in the current issue, Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change.
“(Envirothon is) really cool because you get to know something that you didn’t really know before and you can actually see it in the natural world,” junior Katia Lyakh said.
The Blue-Tailed Skinks’ success stemmed from multiple factors, starting with the team’s tight-knit nature.
“Our Science Olympiad teams are huge, so I think we are so successful at Envirothon because you get to know the people that you’re doing this with,” Lyakh said.
Another key to their performance was the experienced mentorship of their teacher sponsor, Dr. Scottie Smith.
“Doctor Smith is super awesome,” Sood said. “She puts a lot of effort into everything we do with Envirothon, and she helps us study a lot. If you have a question or concern, whether it be about current events, forestry, wildlife products or soils, she can answer your question.”
Beyond strong preparation, Envirothon brought together talented students who are driven to excel in science and STEM fields. The competition serves as a hub for eager STEM connoisseurs, each specializing in events they are passionate about to help inspire real world change.
“I do lots of things related to climate change and the kind of technology with that,” junior Jia Sood said. “I want to go into environmental engineering, so I feel that a lot of the stuff that I’m learning right now is really going to help me in the future, and that’s also why I think Envirothon is super special.”
Sood emphasized that success at Envirothon required more than just academic excellence – it demanded a passion and love for the subject matter.
“You’re doing all this reading and all the studying, all these practical events too,” junior Jia Sood said. “So you have to really love what you’re doing.”
Succeeding at Envirothon was not just about earning a trophy, but it was about creating lifelong friendships and memories.
“We knew that we had to work really, really hard,” Sood said. “Also, one of our seniors, Georgia, this is her last year, and she cares a lot about Envirothon. So we wanted to make it really special for her.”
