Stihl bestows awards at National Collegiate Landscape Competition

The winning team, Brigham Young University, at NCLC. (Photo: Philippe Nobile Photography)

At the 43rd annual National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC) in Fort Collins, Colo., Stihl awarded $5,000 to the event’s overall champion team from Brigham Young University.

More than 800 students attended the competition, which was hosted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). Students competed in 29 individual and team events at Colorado State University. Stihl has been the platinum sponsor of NCLC for more than 18 years and also sponsored individual competitions at this year’s event, including small engine repair and wood construction.

Stihl awards an annual scholarship during the NALP Foundation scholarship reception to a student who demonstrates outstanding leadership and industry potential. This year, Kasandra Hernandez of Ohio-based Cuyahoga Community College was awarded a $2,500 Platinum Ambassador scholarship. Hernandez is studying plant science and landscape technology.

Jonathan Cerritelli of Virginia Tech took home first place in the small engine repair competition, which challenged students to repair a Stihl BG 56 C-E handheld blower. After each unit was fully checked and verified to be in working order, it was packaged and sent to the participating schools for their department’s use. In wood construction, Zach Varner and Clint Kiser of Mississippi State University took top honors. The event required a two-person team from each university to demonstrate proficiency in constructing a wood structure from a plan.