Granite Bay boy in top 10 of national Jr. Ranger competition

A Granite Bay boy has advanced to the Top 10 in the national Jr. Ranger Program, a nationwide competition that celebrates kids who care about animals and the planet. Silas Wheeler is described by his loved ones as having a deep love for wildlife and the outdoors; public voting in the competition closed Thursday, April 23. The Jr. Ranger Program is produced by Colossal in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation. It is open to children ages 4-12. The grand prize winner receives $20,000, a feature in Ranger Rick magazine and a wildlife experience with Emmy-winning conservationist Jeff Corwin. Silas is known around the neighborhood for his fearless curiosity, his love of fishing with his grandfather and a big fascination with giraffes. Those traits helped earn him a spot in the Top 10 of his age group, one round away from the finals, according to family friend Tesha Storm. "Silas has a joyful, fearless way of connecting with the outdoors, and watching our community rally around him has been the best part of this," said Storm. Anyone can cast one free vote per day on Silas's profile page at https://jr-ranger.org/2026/silas-662e Additional votes tied to optional donations benefit the National Wildlife Federation, which works to protect wildlife and preserve natural spaces across the country.