This page focuses on the steps your team must complete in order to certify that you have earned the Mass Envirothon Community Engagement Award. General information on the award can be found on the Community Engagement Award page.

You and your coach are responsible for certifying the quality and completeness of your work for the award.

We ask you to collect detailed documentation of your research, action, and reflections using the Research & Action checklist. We ask this so that we can share with others – youth, your community, and the world – the many creative ways that young people can be resources for stewardship and positive change in their communities.

We use a google sheet format as an efficient way for a group to collect and share the evidence of their work. If access to the sheet is shared with all members of the team, then everyone can add to and edit the draft.

You will need to make a copy of the Checklist in google sheet format in order to fill it out. See below for instructions. If you just want to look at the Checklist, here is the Checklist in pdf format

These are the pieces you will need to collect and share with Mass Envirothon to certify your work for the award in 2025:

• Completed Checklist in google sheet format (see below)
• Completed Registration google sheet (see below)
• a copy of your letter from a community partner about your action (email, pdf, or paper)
• a media release about your project (optional)
• any other items you have referenced in your Checklist (optional)

To get started:

• “Make a copy” of the Research & Action Checklist google sheet
• “Rename” your copy of the Checklist. Using your team name is simplest (e.g. “West HS 2025 Community Award Checklist”)
• “Share” the Checklist with your team so everyone has access
• Let Will Snyder ( wsnyder@umass.edu ) know that your team is planning to qualify for the award.

As you wrap up your research:

• Make a copy of the Community Engagement Award Registration google sheet, rename it using your team name, and fill it out. Leave some time to do this – there is some contact information (e.g. your state legislators) that you will need to look up.

By the end of the day on Thursday, May 15

• Complete your Checklist, including all research, all action, and at least five reflection items
• “Share” the completed Checklist and Registration google sheets with wsnyder@umass.edu by end of day Thursday, May 15.
• Send any additional items (e.g. letter from a community partner) by email to wsnyder@umass.edu by end of day Thursday, May 15

During the week of the Envirothon competition your team will:

• Meet with one or more Envirothon volunteers by zoom. They will interview you about your research and action experiences.  This interview will be set for a time that is convenient for your team. Bring at least four members of your team, and samples of your community engagement to show and tell about.
• At lunchtime at the Envirothon Competition: Spread out your presentation materials on your table and be ready for fun, informal conversations with other teams and Envirothon volunteers about what you found and what you did.
• Stand and be celebrated at the program at the close of the day!