Nearing five years old, Cohen Forry from Fruitvale is making waves in a major North American competition aimed at budding nature lovers.
The Junior Ranger contest, organized by wildlife biologist and television host Jeff Corwin, invites kids aged four to 12 to showcase their connection with the great outdoors.
Cohen's mom Haley Forry came across the competition on Facebook and immediately thought of her son.
“When I told Cohen about this competition, he was all over it because he is all about the outdoors,” she said.
To narrow the field from tens of thousands to just 40, contestants were split into roughly 1,200 groups.
Cohen advanced through the top 20, top 10, and final five, eventually claiming first place in his group to reach the quarter-finals.
“We gathered free daily votes and donations to get him here from our family and friends, the wonderful Village of Fruitvale, and Cohen’s fundraising by selling lemonade and baking,” Haley explains.
Now, with the quarter-finals underway, Cohen needs more community support to keep the momentum going.
“We would love the community’s help to cast their free votes daily to help Cohen win the competition!” she adds.
Voting is open once per day until Thursday, July 10 at 7 p.m.
To cast a vote, visit the Forrys’ Facebook page and click the link to “Vote for Cohen to be the next Junior Ranger.”
Or, simply scan the attached QR code to go directly to his voting page.
Should Cohen make it to the top, he’ll win a $20,000 cash prize, be featured in Ranger Rick magazine, and fly south to meet his biologist hero.
“He gets to fly to L.A. to meet Jeff Corwin and go on an adventure of a lifetime,” says Haley.
Cohen is already dreaming big.
“I can’t wait to take care of the animals! I love animals, nature, and bugs,” he says. “When I grow up, I want to be like Jeff! I got lots of votes from doing good things for our planet.”
Haley says her son has always had a passion for the natural world.
Instead of toys, he prefers searching for bugs, building terrariums, growing fruits and vegetables, and exploring the outdoors, rain or shine.
“He’s never been a kid who plays with toys,” Haley says. “He would rather skip the swings and slides at the playground and go straight into the bush or forest to explore.”
The quarter-final round runs from June 30 to July 10, with winners from each group moving on to the semifinals, July 11-17.
The final showdown will take place July 18-24, when the top contestants compete head-to-head.
Votes reset in the final round, and the highest vote-getter will be crowned the 2025 Junior Ranger.
To follow Cohen’s journey and vote, head to the Forrys’ Facebook page and look for the “Vote for Cohen” link.
(Note: Supporters can cast one free vote per day, but a Facebook account is required to verify voters and track daily submissions. Donations can be made without a Facebook account. Every dollar donated counts as a vote for Cohen, with all proceeds going to the National Wildlife Federation to support their mission of protecting wildlife.)
