Seven students and two advisors from the Spokane Community College Horticulture Club jetted off to Raleigh, North Carolina, to compete in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC). The NCLC is an annual three-day event that brings together the top landscape and horticulture students from around the country.
This year, more than 500 students gathered to test their green thumbs in contests such as Landscape Installation, Interior Plant Design and many more. Participants also networked with top industry companies and dozens of the country’s biggest industry manufacturers and suppliers.
“We are so proud to share that our students did wonderfully in the competition!” said Horticulture Instructor David Prins. “As an overall school, we placed 24th out of 43 institutions. We had an incredible result considering we were competing against mostly 4-year state universities.”
What’s especially impressive is that five of SCC’s seven attending students are only in their first year of study. Ashley Frey had the highest overall score for SCC and placed 52nd out of 510 competitors. She competed in Interior Plant ID and Flower and Foliage ID individually and Landscape Plant Installation as part of a team.
SCC is an accredited member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals, which organizes NCLC every year. Students must be enrolled full-time at SCC and be active members of the Horticulture Club to qualify.
“Preferably, students are enrolled in a horticulture degree to help with preparing for the events, but this is not necessarily a requirement,” Prins said.
Contenders showcased their skills in a variety of competitions chosen based on interest. Several events required a team, so students came together to practice and compete.
There were 32 different competitions in total, and our students participated in at least three events each. In addition, some events had a pre-qualifying exam that students had to pass before they compete in nationals, often regarding safe practices for the equipment.
The NCLC is an excellent opportunity for our students to practice and hone their skills outside of the classroom while also meeting like-minded peers from around the country who share a passion for cultivation and preservation.
Great job to all the competitors!