Fourth grader in the running for Junior Ranger champ
Published 1:30 am Friday, April 3, 2026
Landon Prince Charles Hutcherson likes eating candied mushrooms, or maybe turkey tail fungi if he’s feeling adventurous. It’s not your typical kid snack, but then again, Landon isn’t your typical kid.
The Whidbey Island fourth grader is currently in the running to be a Junior Ranger champion. If he wins, Landon will earn $20,000, be taken on a wildlife adventure with Jeff Corwin and appear in a Ranger Rick Magazine, a children’s magazine filled with interesting wildlife facts. The soon-to-be 10-year-old has explored the forests of Whidbey Island hundreds of times since moving to the island at age three. Born in San Diego, Landon followed in his dad’s footsteps learning to love Whidbey as much as his father did when he was young.
Though Landon was diagnosed with a severe speech delay at age three, he found an early connection in nature before he found his voice. The forest became a place of expression and comfort, where he could roam, listen and even howl with the wind. By the time he began speaking at five, he wanted to be outside as often as possible.
Now, after hundreds of hikes across the island, Landon has built a deep bond with the outdoors.
“I love nature because without nature, humans won’t live,” he said. “It’s so beautiful.”
His favorite spots include Dugualla State Park, Joseph Whidbey State Park and Goose Rock Summit, where he can take in the landscape, spot wildlife and crunch leaves.
Landon’s connection to nature is at the heart of his Junior Ranger campaign. At the same time, he’s preparing for another milestone: a birthday trip to Olympic National Park, where he’ll take part in a different Junior Ranger program. There, he’ll complete activities and take a pledge to protect public lands.
Win or not, Landon’s focus stays rooted in giving back. If he takes home the contest’s $20,000 prize, he plans to donate $1,000 to Friends of Whidbey State Parks to help protect local habitats and another $1,000 to Broadview Elementary, where he’s spent said he loves to learn and be with his friends. Supporting parks and schools, he said, is a generous way to help others.
His interest in the outdoors goes beyond hiking. Alongside his dad, Landon is learning about foraging, including identifying mushrooms — carefully — and even trying a few back in their kitchen. From sweet, sugared fungi to dehydrated turkey tail, he isn’t picky.
“We like going out there and not just hiking, but we like to learn about what we can use for food out there,” Easton Hutcherson, his dad, said.
Despite his quiet and introverted nature, Landon’s journey is gaining attention, with community members rallying behind him as the competition continues, his parents said.
“Nature has instilled in him this confidence and this stability and security and a sense of who he is,” said Ericka Hutcherson, his mom. “I think it’s a really beautiful thing if he were to win this contest because it shows that you don’t have to be extremely extroverted to go out there and chase your dreams.”
Any kid can be a Junior Ranger, Landon added. It doesn’t take a title or a contest, just a willingness to step outside and explore.
Everyone gets a complimentary vote. Donations benefiting the National Wildlife Federation allow voters to cast extras. Voting ends at 7 p.m. on April 9.
Visit https://jr-ranger.org/2026/landon-c109.
