Florida
North Central Florida students win big in Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Several students across North Central Florida earned top spots in a competition at the University of Florida.
More than 70 students attended the annual Florida 4-H Ecology Contest at UF’s Austin Cary Forest on March 30.
Participants prepared for the challenge by brushing up on their wildlife and nature skills.
Alachua County’s William Pruden took home the gold for having the highest individual score in the Intermediate group.
Meanwhile, Marion County’s Lane Taylor, Kylie Goodson, Cora Taylor, and Ada Perryman earned the title of first place senior team.
Here is a full leaderboard showing how top contestants stacked up across the state:
Junior Division:
· 1st Place Individual: Jada Foucha, Sumter County
· 2nd Place Individual: Joycelynn Gardis, Leon County
· 3rd Place Individual: Addalynn Upton, Marion County
· 1st Place Team: Sumter County – Addilyn Childs, Jada Foucha and Caroline Cattrell
· 2nd Place Team: Marion County – Addalynn Upton, Callie Rae Cassidy, Jax Adamiak and Joshua Force
· 3rd Place Team: Sumter County – Eden Wilkins, Ava Baltzersen and Lily Toman
Intermediate Division:
· 1st Place Individual: William Pruden, Alachua County
· 2nd Place Individual: Isabella Wise, Okaloosa County
· 3rd Place Individual: Madison Wall, Marion County
· 1st Place Team: Marion County – Caleb Force, Forest DeRoy, Jacob Metzgar and Madison Wall
· 2nd Place Team: Okaloosa County – Isabella Wise, Kaden Wise and Kayleigh Thames
· 3rd Place Team: Pinellas County – Charles Wood, Charlotte Watkins, Christian Galiano and Ellis Godfrey
Senior Division:
· 1st Place Individual – Jocelyn Wood, Pinellas County
· 2nd Place Individual – Ada Perryman, Marion County
· 3rd Place Individual – Helena Perryman, St. Johns County
· 1st Place Team: Marion County – Ada Perryman, Cora Taylor, Kylie Goodson and Lane Taylor
· 2nd Place Team: Pinellas County – Annalise Watkins, Jocelyn Wood, Maleah Godfrey and Wesley Wood
· 3rd Place Team: Duval County – Kaela Weaver, Mina Shippey, Skye Burgos and Ziva Ponciano
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FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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