Students Compete at 39th Annual National Collegiate Landscape Competition

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BYU – Idaho is first-place team and Zach VanDyke of Michigan State University is first-place student.

HERNDON, Va. — Approximately 800 students attended the 39th annual PLANET Student Career Days—The National Collegiate Landscape Competition—at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, last week.

Sixty-five teams, including three FFA high school teams, participated in 27 individual and team competitions. Tree climbing, hardscape installation, wood construction, plant identification, sales presentation, exterior/interior design, irrigation troubleshooting, skid steer, 3D exterior landscape design, personnel management and small engine repair were just a few of the events.

Awards were given to the top-placing students, called “Superstars,” as well as to the winning teams. The individual winners were, in first place, Zach VanDyke, Michigan State University (Lansing, Michigan); in second place, Levi Johnson of Brigham Young University – Provo (Provo, Utah); and in third place, Matt Case of Alamance Community College (Graham, North Carolina). The top three superstars received scholarship money from the PLANET Academic Excellence Foundation (PLANET AEF).

Brigham Young University – Idaho took first place in the overall competitive events, followed by Michigan State University in second place and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in third. BYU – Idaho took home $5,000 from STIHL for winning first place.

For a complete list of winners, visit the Student Career Days website.

In addition to the competitive events, students met with company recruiters at the Career Fair, interacted with supplier companies, and got to test-drive industry equipment throughout the event.

Student Career Days is sponsored by STIHL, Inc., at the Platinum level; John Deere at the Gold level; Caterpillar, Inc., Gravely, Husqvarna and New Holland Construction at the Silver level; and Anchor Wall Systems, Inc., Belgard, Brickman, ValleyCrest Landscape Companies and The Toro Company at the Bronze level.