Coeur d'Alene girl chases Jr. Ranger title with family support

Scarlett Fae Johnson once volunteered to go to jail just so she could pick up trash, a small but striking sign of how deeply the 8-year-old Coeur d’Alene girl cares about the outdoors.

That same streak carried Johnson into the national Jr. Ranger competition, where she was among hundreds of children competing for a title tied to wildlife conservation and youth engagement. The 2026 contest, open to children ages 4 through 12, offered a $20,000 prize, an exclusive wildlife experience with Jeff Corwin and an appearance in Ranger Rick Magazine. Johnson’s campaign page listed her in fourth place in her group, while local coverage placed her in eighth overall at the time.

For Kootenai County families, Johnson’s run is less about a contest than about how children in North Idaho learn to value the land around them. Her aunt, Kathy Schnell, said she has worked hard to keep Scarlett interested in the planet and the animals found in North Idaho. Johnson has already found plenty to hold that interest. She said she loves hiking, camping, swimming and discovering things in nature, and she counts Cub Scouts among her favorite activities.

One of Johnson’s most memorable moments came when she saved a monarch butterfly from drowning. Schnell said the butterfly comes back to visit every year, a detail that gives the story a local folklore feel while underscoring a deeper conservation lesson. Idaho Fish and Game says monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed, and that Idaho is one of 11 western states that contribute to the western monarch population. The agency also says overwintering monarch populations have declined sharply in coastal California and central Mexico, while Idaho had only a handful of monarch and milkweed records as recently as 2014.

Johnson said she wants to become a biologist so she can help animals and discover new plants. Florida is her dream destination as a biologist, which would also be where she would meet Corwin if she wins the national contest. The broader Jr. Ranger effort has become a major fundraiser as well as a youth campaign, with last year’s competition raising more than $6.5 million for the National Wildlife Federation. Thomas was the 2025 champion, and organizers have said the program is designed to inspire children to explore nature and support wildlife conservation, a message that fits easily with the way Coeur d’Alene families, parks and outdoor programs pass along early habits of stewardship.