COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association (ONLA) welcomed 167 high school students from across Ohio for the sixth annual Ohio High School Landscape Olympics on Oct. 14 & 15 at Ohio Stat University ATI in Wooster, Ohio.
Ohio high schools and career centers with horticulture programs were invited to participate in the Landscape Olympics, an educational competition where students could test their skills and learn more about a career in the green industry.
OHLO 2021 began with a career exploration event with 24 companies that gave students the opportunity to meet with green industry leaders and learn more about careers available to them in the industry followed by a pizza party on Thursday afternoon to welcome the students. Students from 13 schools competed in fifteen events throughout the day on Friday, October 15. The event ended with an awards ceremony on Friday afternoon.
2021 Medalists
Compact Excavator
Gold: Nathan from Knox County Career Center
Silver: Damian from Ashtabula County Technical & Career Center
Bronze: Samual with Columbiana County Career Technical Center
Cost Estimating
Gold: Easton from Buckeye Career Center
Silver: Scarlet from Buckeye Career Center
Bronze: Breanna from Ashtabula County Technical & Career Center
Hardscape Installation
Gold: Easton & Leah from Buckeye Career Center
Silver: Braiden & Wyatt from Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
Bronze: Jake & Keeleigh from Knox County Career Center
Irrigation Assembly & Trouble Shooting
Gold: Vinny & Brant from Jackson High School
Silver: Lance & Brock from Upper Valley Career Center
Bronze: Levi & Andrew from Delaware Area Career Center
Landscape Maintenance
Gold: Dylan & Nicholas from Gates Mills Environmental Education Center
Silver: Ralph Starkey High School
Bronze: Owen & Jake from Knox County Career Center
Turfgrass
Gold: Dayna, James & Kiana from Knox County Career Center
Silver: Nadia, Madelyn, Lanna & Kathryn from Jackson High School
Bronze: Zoey, Sydney & Ben from Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
Lighting
Gold: Max from Upper Valley Career Center
Silver: Roland from Tolles Career & Technical Center
Bronze: Bethany from Ashtabula County Technical & Career Center
Herbaceous Plant ID
Gold: Baylei from Upper Valley Career Center
Silver: Breanna from Ashtabula County Technical & Career Center
Bronze: Dezirae from Knox County Career Center
Truck & Trailer Operation
Gold: Braiden & Vinny from Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
Silver: Landon & Deion from Knox County Career Center
Bronze: Robert & Nicholas from Gates Mills Environmental Education Center
Plant Installation
Gold: Knox County Career Center
Silver: Jackson High School
Bronze: Gates Mills Environmental Center
Skid Steer Operation
Gold: Lance from Upper Valley Career Center
Silver: Brant from Jackson High School
Bronze: Colton from Knox County Career Center
Sales Presentation
Gold: Madelyn from Jackson High School
Silver: Braiden from Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
Bronze: Keeleigh from Knox County Career Center
Knot Tying
Gold: AJ & Dezirae from Knox County Career Center
Silver: Jeremiah from Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
Bronze: Becca, Mia, Kathryn from Jackson High School
Woody Plant ID
Gold: Anna from Knox County Career Center
Silver: Graham from Cleveland Botanical Garden & Haylee from Jackson High School
Bronze: Lexi from Upper Valley Career Center
Surveying
Gold: Jeremiah & Wyatt from Ohio Hi-Point
Silver: Corben & Reece from Knox County Career Center
Bronze: Levi & Andrew from Delaware Area Career Center
Top Five Teams
- Knox County Career Center
- Jackson High School
- Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
- Upper Valley Career Center
- Ashtabula County Technical & Career Center
Top Ten Individuals
- Braiden from Ohio Hi-Point
- Brant from Jackson High School
- Lance from Upper Valley Career Center
- Vinny from Jackson High School
- Wyatt from Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
- Max from Upper Valley Career Center
- Nico from Cleveland Botanical Garden
- Skylor from Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
- Evan from Delaware Area Career Center
- Thomas from Penta Career Center
Participating Schools
- Ashtabula County Technical and Career Campus
- Buckeye Career Center
- Cleveland Botanical Garden
- Columbiana County Career Center
- Delaware Area Career Center
- Gates Mills Environmental Educational Center
- Jackson High School
- Knox County Career Center
- Ohio Hi Point Career Center
- Penta Career Center
- Ralph Starkey High School
- Tolles Career & Technical Center
- Upper Valley Career Center
- 2021 Sponsors
The Olympics received support from numerous green industry companies.
Gold Sponsor: EMI
Silver Sponsor: Brian-Kyles
Fun Zone Sponsors: Five Seasons Landscape Management & Grass Groomers
Breakfast Sponsor: Benchmark Landscape Construction, Inc.
Lunch Sponsors: Schill Grounds Management & Grunder Landscaping Co.
Snack Sponsor: Todd’s Enviroscapes, Inc.
Supporting Sponsors: Davey Tree Co., Hans Nelson & Sons Nursery Inc., M.J. Design Associates Inc., Hemlock Landscapes, Inc.,
Competitions were hosted by: Benchmark Landscape Construction, Inc., Bobcat Company, Columbus State Community College Landscape Program, EMI, FX Luminaire, Grunder Landscaping, Hidden Creek Landscaping, Hunter Industries, M. J. Design Associates, Millcreek Gardens LLC, Oberfields LLC, Ohio CAT, Ohio Chapter ISA, Ohio Turfgrass Foundation, OSU ATI, Peabody Landscape Group, Schill Grounds Management, Willoway Nurseries, Inc., Wolf Creek Company, and 9 Trees Landscape Construction
— Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association
