2024 El Dorado Forestry Challenge

Eight students from the Sequoia Grove Charter Alliance family of schools recently participated in the 2024 El Dorado Forestry Challenge, an educational event held from October 23 to 26 at Leoni Meadows Camp. The challenge brought together 139 high school students from 17 schools across the Sacramento area and Sierra Nevada foothills.

A major highlight for the Sequoia Grove team was visiting the American River Conservancy’s Wells Preserve near Somerset. There, students gathered data to assess the health of the preserve and recommended actions to restore its ecological function, ultimately helping to improve the health of the Cosumnes River watershed.

During the event, teams also competed in a field test that assessed their technical forestry knowledge and data collection skills, providing valuable hands-on experience in the field.

Jessica Campbell, an HST, praised the event, saying, "The Forestry Challenge is an empowering hands-on experience. Students walk away with skills in forestry, collaboration, and problem-solving."

Taylor Palmer, reflected on the experience: “The Forestry Challenge showed us the reality of being a forester and how difficult yet rewarding it can be. It sparked my interest in becoming a forester."

(Staff, 2025)

Citation

Staff Report. (2025). Students from Sequoia Grove Charter School Participate in 2024 El Dorado Forestry Challenge [Press Release]. https://goldcountrymedia.com/news/323331/foresthill-sequoia-grove-students-participate-in-el-dorado-forestry-challenge/