Whidbey Fourth Grader Competes for National Junior Ranger Title — A $20,000 Prize and Wildlife Adventure on the Line

Landon Prince Charles Hutcherson considers turkey tail fungi a perfectly reasonable after-school snack, and the Whidbey Island fourth grader is also competing in a national Jr. Ranger championship with $20,000 on the line. The first round of public voting closes April 9.

Landon, who turns 10 this spring, was born in San Diego and moved to Whidbey Island at age three, following his father Easton Hutcherson's path back to an island both have come to love. In the years since, Landon has logged hundreds of hours exploring Dugualla State Park, Joseph Whidbey State Park, and the Goose Rock Summit trail, hiking, watching wildlife, and by his own description, simply "crunching leaves." Easton has turned those shared explorations into something tangible: the two forage fungi together and take their finds home, experimenting with candied mushrooms and turkey tail preparations in the kitchen.

The 2026 Jr. Ranger Champion competition is open to children ages 4 to 12 across the country and is conducted in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation. The top prize includes $20,000, a wildlife adventure with Emmy-winning conservationist Jeff Corwin, and a feature appearance in Ranger Rick Magazine. The winner is determined entirely by public vote.

Landon's connection to the natural world goes deeper than curiosity. He was diagnosed with a severe speech delay at age three, the same year his family settled on Whidbey, and the island's forests and shorelines became a space where expression did not require words. Nature gave him a calming, expressive outlet before verbal confidence developed. He now puts it plainly: "I love nature because without nature, humans won't live," adding that he finds it "so beautiful."

Voting runs in multiple rounds. Anyone can cast one free vote per day by visiting jr-ranger.org/2026/landon-c109. The first round closes April 9; five additional rounds follow before a finals period running May 29 through June 4. The winner will be announced by June 19. Supporters who wish to vote more than once per day may do so by donating to the National Wildlife Federation through the same page, a feature limited to voters 18 and older. Donating is not required to participate.

If Landon wins, he has already decided where part of the prize goes. He would donate $1,000 to Friends of Whidbey State Parks and $1,000 to Broadview Elementary, his school in Oak Harbor, bringing a portion of a $20,000 national prize back to the island that shaped him.