MOUNT VERNON – Knox County Career Center’s (KCCC) Landscape Design & Management program won first place at the 7th Annual 2022 Ohio Green Industry Association's (OGIA) Ohio High School Landscape Olympics (OHLO) at the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster, Ohio.
ONLA’s Ohio High School Landscape Olympics tests students’ skills through hands-on, competitive events designed by industry professionals. OGIA broadens the high school education experience and introduces students to the many opportunities offered by a career in the green industry.
KCCC’s Landscape Design & Management program competed in 15 events against nine other schools, most of them being career tech schools. KCCC is the first school to win back-to-back titles.
“The seniors set a goal to win the title again this year. All of our students put in a lot of hard work for this event. I am really proud of them,” said John Campbell, KCCC Landscape Design & Management instructor.
Campbell said, “I am proud of what they accomplished. The Ohio High School Landscape Olympics is a great event put on by OGIA. It is set up and judged completely by employers and supporters of the landscape Industry.”
OGIA is open to all Ohio high schools and career centers with horticulture programs. Single teams from all participating schools may compete in all events, or just a few. Competitive events test the student’s abilities to interact in a hands-on environment. Events are planned, implemented, and scored by industry sponsors using guidelines generated by OGIA.
“I had a good experience. It was nice getting to talk with the sponsors, employers and the judges,” said A.J Fonner, senior.
James Hurlow, senior, said, “The event was good work experience for a landscape type job. There were a variety of employers there watching us compete. I enjoyed meeting new people and finding out what they do in their program at their school.”
Award winners
CLIMBING SKILLS – Mackenzie Ernsberger (Sr) and A.J Fonner (Sr): 3rd Place
COMPACT EXCAVATOR – Colton Love (Sr): 1st Place
HARDSCAPE INSTALLATION – A.J Fonner (Sr) and James Hurlow (Sr): 2nd Place
IRRIGATION – A.J Fonner (Sr) and Terry Kovach (Sr): 1st Place
LOW VOLTAGE LIGHTING – Isaac Burrell (Sr): 2nd Place
MAINTENANCE OPERATION – Logan Dechant (Sr) and James Hurlow (Sr): 1st Place
WOOD PLANT ID – John Manning (Jr): 1st Place
SALES PRESENTATION – Josie Moore (Sr): 2nd place
SKID STEER – Colton Love (Sr): 2nd Place
TURFGRASS – James Hurlow (Sr) and Ashton Johnson (Sr): 1st Place
PLANT INSTALLATION – A.J Fonner (Sr), James Hurlow (Sr) and Nick Jackson (Jr): 3rd Place
