WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
Mount Vernon, OH – Knox County Career Center’s (KCCC) Landscape Design &
Management program competed at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition March
15th-19th.
KCCC was joined by two other high schools and 48 universities, over 800 individual
participants in all, at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition. The National Collegiate
Landscape Competition is an annual three-day powerhouse event that brings together the top
landscape and horticulture students, top industry companies, and dozens of the biggest industry
manufacturers and suppliers.
The competition was held in Raleigh, North Carolina on the campus of North Carolina
State University. KCCC had six students compete in the competition including juniors Sydnee
Lang, Josie Moore, and James Hurlow along with seniors Keeleigh Johnston, Deion Parker, and
Nathan Burwell.
KCCC’s Landscape Design & Management students competed in the following
events–Annual & Perennial ID (Josie Moore, James Hurlow), Compact Excavator Operation
(Nathan Burwell), Compact Track/Skid Steer Loader Operation (Deion Parker), Construction
Cost Estimating (Sydnee Lang), Hardscape Install (Keeleigh Johnston), Landscape Plant Install
(James Hurlow, Keeleigh Johnston, Nathan Burwell), Sales Presentation (Keeleigh Johnston),
Tractor Loader Backhoe Operation (Deion Parker), Truck & Trailer Operation (Keeleigh
Johnston, Deion Parker), Turf & Weed ID (James Hurlow, Sydnee Lang), and Woody
Ornamental Plant ID (Josie Moore).
Josie Moore, junior, commented, “I enjoyed watching us compete against college
students and showing them our skills. We had a great trip!”
Junior Sydnee Lang added, “It was a new and really fun experience for me. I enjoyed
being on a college campus.”
KCCC’s notable placings include Nathan Burwell (7th place in Compact Excavator
Operation), Keeleigh Johnston (8th place in Sales Presentation), Deion Parker (5th place in
Tractor Loader Backhoe Operation), and Keeleigh Johnston & Nathan Burwell (17th place in
Hardscape Installation).
Keeleigh Johnston, senior, commented, “As a senior, it was a really cool experience to
be able to compete with different colleges around the United States. It was great to use my
knowledge to the best of its ability.”
KCCC and the Landscape Design & Management program would like to thank Town and
Country Garden Club and Pheasants Forever for their generous donations to help fund the trip
to Raleigh, NC.
