The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s 2nd annual Arkansas Generation Conservation Summit 2026 attracted more than 2,000 students from across Arkansas, with winners from North Central Arkansas and surrounding communities bringing home major awards in wildlife conservation, science, technology, forestry, fishing and outdoor education.
The 2-day event was held November 4-5, 2026, at Bank OZK Arena and the Hot Springs Convention Center.
According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, participation increased dramatically over the inaugural summit in 2025. The number of participating schools and groups climbed from 110 to 185, a 68% increase, and student attendance more than doubled.
The summit brought together students from elementary, middle, junior high and high schools for hands-on conservation experiences and statewide competitions covering wildlife management, fisheries conservation, outdoor recreation, environmental education and natural resource protection.
North Central Arkansas Schools Bring Home Major Honors
Norfork High School: 1st Place Culinary
Norfork High School in Baxter County captured 1st place in the high school culinary competition, sponsored by Buc-ee’s. Norfork students Jovee Webster, Adelynn Lubbock and Phineas Bitting earned the top honor with their preparation of specklebelly goose.
Izard County STEM High School: 2 Major Wins
Izard County STEM High School earned 1st place in 2 statewide competitions. Student Gage Nielson won the high school Debate competition, and the school captured 1st place in the high school Video Recap competition, sponsored by Stone Ward.
Melbourne Middle School: 1st Place GIS Story Map Design
Melbourne Middle School captured 1st place in the middle school GIS Story Map Design competition, which challenged students to combine geographic information with visual storytelling and environmental education.
Timbo Middle and High Schools: BioQuest Champions
Timbo Middle School won 1st place in the middle school AGFC BioQuest competition, and Timbo High School captured 1st place in the high school AGFC BioQuest competition.
Sulphur Rock Elementary: 1st Place STEM in Conservation
Sulphur Rock Elementary School earned 1st place in the elementary STEM in Conservation competition, sponsored by Rausch Companies and Cornell Lab of Ornithology K-12 Education.
Clinton Junior High: Forestry Champion
Cooper Pate of Clinton Junior High School captured 1st place in the middle school Forestry competition, sponsored by Foundation Life Insurance and the Arkansas Forestry Association.
Pangburn Middle School: Air Rifle Champion
Jase Bell of Pangburn Middle School won 1st place in the middle school Air Rifle competition, sponsored by Kalkomey.
Brookland Junior High: STEM and Junior Cadet Honors
Brookland Junior High School earned 1st place in middle school STEM in Conservation, and Aiden Looney of Brookland Junior High captured 1st place in the middle school Junior Cadet Challenge.
Flippin Elementary: Quiz Bowl Champion
Flippin Elementary School captured 1st place in the elementary Quiz Bowl competition, sponsored by First Security Bank.
St. Joe Elementary: Game Calling Champion
St. Joe Elementary School earned 1st place in elementary Game Calling, sponsored by Banded.
2026 Overall Division Champions
- Overall Elementary School Winner: Jasper Elementary School
- Overall Middle School Winner: Lincoln Middle School
- Overall High School Winner: Lincoln High School
Complete List of 2026 Generation Conservation Summit Winners
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recognized winners across 21 competition categories:
1. Conservation Magazine Spread
- Elementary: Mt. Judea School
- Middle School: Wynne Junior High School
- High School: Har-Ber
2. Nature Center Exhibit Design
Sponsor: Nabholz Construction Group
- Elementary: Mt. Judea School
- Middle School: Hellstern Middle School
- High School: Lincoln High School
3. STEM in Conservation
Sponsor: Rausch Companies and Cornell Lab of Ornithology K-12 Education
- Elementary: Sulphur Rock Elementary School
- Middle School: Brookland Jr. High School
- High School: Hamburg High School
4. GIS Story Map Design
- Elementary: Thurman G. Smith Elementary School
- Middle School: Melbourne Middle School
- High School: Hamburg High School
5. Social Media
Sponsor: Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation
- Middle School: Helen Tyson Middle School
- High School: Lincoln High School
6. Archery
Sponsor: Easton Foundation
- Elementary: Conor Jones, Arrie Goforth Elementary
- Middle School: Jhett Jennett, Valley Springs
- High School: Travis Cook, Lead Hill
7. Aquatic ID
Sponsor: Old Hickory Sauce Company
- Elementary: Cooper Elementary School
- Middle School: Mt. Judea School
- High School: Cossatot River High School
8. Air Rifle
Sponsor: Kalkomey
- Elementary: Trennen Adams, Jasper Elementary School
- Middle School: Jase Bell, Pangburn Middle School
- High School: Isaac Campbell, Mt. Judea
9. Plant ID
- Middle School: Abbey Jewell, Jewell Family Homeschool
- High School: Abby Mies, Har-Ber
10. Wildlife ID
Sponsor: Safari Club International Arkansas Chapter
- Elementary: Mt. Judea Elementary School
- Middle School: Leslie Intermediate School
- High School: Genoa Central High School
11. Casting
Sponsor: Vexus Boats
- Elementary: Canyon Davis, Acorn Elementary School
- Middle School: Sawyer Cross, Mt. Judea Middle School
- High School: Kolby Middleton, Deer High School
12. Forestry
Sponsor: Foundation Life Insurance and Arkansas Forestry Association
- Elementary: Ziva Gangidi, Don Roberts Elementary School (K-5)
- Middle School: Cooper Pate, Clinton Junior High School
- High School: Kiley Vick, Harmony Grove-Camden High School
13. AGFC BioQuest
- Middle School: Timbo Middle School
- High School: Timbo High School
14. Culinary
Sponsor: Buc-ee’s
- Middle School: Wynne Junior High School
- High School: Norfork High School
15. Debate
- Middle School: Kasen Smith, Deer Middle School
- High School: Gage Nielson, Izard County STEM High School
16. Quiz Bowl
Sponsor: First Security Bank
- Elementary: Flippin Elementary School
- Middle School: Hellstern Middle School
- High School: Har-Ber High School
17. Game Calling
Sponsor: Banded
- Elementary: St. Joe Elementary School
- Middle School: L. M. Goza Middle School
- High School: Lonoke High School
18. Junior Cadet Challenge
Sponsor: Lighthouse Financial
- Middle School: Aiden Looney, Brookland Jr. High
- High School: Henry Martin, Mt. Judea
19. Career Readiness
Sponsor: Legacy Ranch Leadership
- High School: Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts
20. Photography
Sponsor: Family of Tom Kennon
- Elementary: Aarish Danish, Don Roberts Elementary School (K-5)
- Middle School: Diesel Sides, Wynne Junior High School
- High School: AnnMarie Eldridge, Lamar
21. Video Recap
Sponsor: Stone Ward
- Elementary: Jasper Elementary School
- Middle School: Wynn Middle School
- High School: Izard County STEM High School
Wild Kingdom Host Inspires Students
One of the highlights of the summit was a keynote presentation by Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, wildlife ecologist and host of NBC’s “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom,” on Wednesday evening, November 4.
Wynn-Grant shared her personal journey into wildlife conservation. She grew up in an urban environment with limited opportunities to experience the outdoors, and her interest in wildlife began through magazines and television programs. While in college, she took part in research in Kenya. Today, she specializes in wildlife ecology, particularly large carnivores such as bears, and has appeared in television programs featuring Arkansas wildlife, including bears and alligator gar in the Red River.
“There is a place in wildlife conservation for you,” she told students.
Hands-On Conservation Experiences
Students participated in fishing, wildlife identification, conservation science, shooting sports, rock climbing, mapping, nature education and outdoor skill competitions.
One display featured a stream table filled with sand and water, where students learned how moving water changes the landscape, how erosion can damage stream habitats and how AGFC Stream Team and Stream Habitat programs work to restore damaged waterways.
Additional exhibits included a 20-foot-tall inflatable turkey and a 30-foot-long inflatable largemouth bass. Students could also climb through a large inflatable cave, practice fishing lure casting, learn about wildlife anatomy and observe wildlife up close, including a young alligator.
Former AGFC Commissioner Praises Growth
Former Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioner Bobby Martin, who helped develop the summit and served as commission chairman from 2022 through 2024, praised the event’s growth.
“It’s amazing,” Martin said following the summit. He said continued growth will require additional support from sponsors and community partners, and that investment in conservation education is an investment in Arkansas’s future.
Summit Represents Work of Entire Game and Fish Commission
Mary Beth Hatch, chief of the AGFC Education Division, said the summit was designed to reflect the work of the entire agency. Although the Education Division organizes the event, staff members from across the AGFC serve as judges, competition leaders and instructors, showing students the variety of careers in wildlife management and conservation.
Sponsors Help Make Event Possible
The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation helped secure sponsorships. Participating sponsors included Nabholz Construction Group, Rausch Companies, Cornell Lab of Ornithology K-12 Education, the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation, Easton Foundation, Old Hickory Sauce Company, Kalkomey, Safari Club International Arkansas Chapter, Vexus Boats, Foundation Life Insurance, Arkansas Forestry Association, Buc-ee’s, First Security Bank, Banded, Lighthouse Financial, Legacy Ranch Leadership, Family of Tom Kennon and Stone Ward.
Event Summary
- Event: 2nd Annual Generation Conservation Summit
- Organizer: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
- Dates: November 4-5, 2026
- Location: Bank OZK Arena and Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs, Arkansas
- Student Attendance: More than 2,000
- Participating Schools and Groups: 185 (up from 110, a 68% increase)
- Complete Official Winners Information: https://www.agfc.com/education/generation-conservation/
ArkansasRadio.com congratulates all the students, teachers, schools and sponsors who participated in the 2026 Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Generation Conservation Summit.
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