Landscape students honored at national competition

Mike LeGates works in the Plant Installation competition.

Columbus State was the only two-year college in the top five and the only top-five school not from the West Coast.

“We’re the leading college east of the Rockies,” said Steve O’Neal, a landscape professor.

Twenty-one Columbus State students attended Student Career Days, held March 23-26 at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The event drew nearly 900 student competitors from across the country. Columbus State students competed in 24 solo and team events, and many Cougars scored highly in their divisions:

Lou Foster, who also works in the college’s grounds crew, finished No. 9 out of all student competitors as one of the top 10 superstars of the event.
Jason Douglas ranked No. 1 in the pest identification competition.
Caleb Auman and Andrew Root finished No. 1 in the paving competition.
Rachael Morrison finished No. 2 in Exterior Landscape Design.
Katherine Andres received a $1,000 scholarship from the Associated Landscape Contractors of America Education Foundation.

James Moehrman competes in the Irrigation Assembly event. Moehrman also competed in Arboriculture Techniques competition.

Crystal Morter, student chairwoman of the trip, was surprised at how many other colleges had heard of Columbus State.

Wesley Ehrenback, who competed in a landscape installation event, said the trip allowed him to see techniques from other schools. Students also got to bond with each other, visiting Provo’s Olympic Park and skiing at Sundance Resort.

Morter competed in events to estimate landscape construction and maintenance costs, as well as a leadership event. During the leadership event, she was put into a mock meeting with students from other schools and told to solve a landscaping business problem. Morter said she enjoyed networking with students from other colleges—as well as prospective employers.

“I would say half of the students who went interviewed with national companies for jobs,” O’Neal said.

Attending the competition raises Columbus State’s profile among employers, O’Neal said. The college’s reputation allows landscaping grads to go after high-profile jobs.

Attending the show also helps Columbus State keep its accreditation through PLANET, a trade group for lawn care and landscape professionals, O’Neal said. The group’s seal of approval indicates Columbus State meets standards set down by industry professionals. Columbus State is one of 17 schools accredited in the nation by PLANET.

Nick Esthus operates heavy equipment in one of the individual events at Student Career Days.

Columbus State hosted Student Career Days in 2004. Because of the positive impression left with organization executives, PLANET will host its annual convention at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus in November.

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