Students from the DCMO BOCES Pole and Harrold campuses recently competed in and placed at the state Conservation Contests.
Fifteen students from each campus traveled to Paul Smith’s College on May 16 to compete, a media release said. There, they competed against 12 other BOCES and technology education programs from across the state in several categories including tree identification, maple identification and knowledge, heavy equipment operation, tree felling and forestry. Students also competed in traditional woodsmen’s contests. Awards were given for students who placed in the top three in their respective events, and Paul Smith’s College also included scholarships to their college for $1,500, $1,250 and $1,000 for the winners.
Harrold Campus students placed in the top three of seven contests, including three first-place winners, the release said. First-place wins went to Afton senior Larry Meeker in the bulldozer backfilling competition; Afton junior Justin Hogancamp, in excavator operation; and Unatego senior Connor Derr in the maple competition. Also placing from the Harrold Campus were: Morgan Barnes of Gilbertsville-Mount Upton and Landon Ruling of Sidney, second and third in maple; Robert Black, from Unatego, third in tree felling; Alexes Sousa from Unatego and Black, third in Peavey Log Roll; Jacob Butts from Bainbridge-Guilford and Sousa, second in crosscut saw; and Derr and Gavin Gifford of B-G, who placed third in the team fire build contest.
Pole Campus students placed in the top three in six contests, including a first-place winner, the release said. Joe Thomsen, of Unadilla Valley, placed first in the bulldozer log roll; Jaden Webb, of Sherburne-Earlville, placed third in bulldozer trenching, Nick Palmer, of Otselic Valley, placed third in the log skidder contest; Wyatt Meade and Tanner Sullivan, both of Unadilla Valley, placed third in the two-person crosscut contest; Riley Jones, of Sherburne-Earlville, placed second in log scaling; and Kelcie Tefft, of Oxford Academy, placed second in the female pulp throw.
Teachers Tim Crumb, Jake Sweet and Braeden Williams from Pole Campus and Zack Whittaker, Nanette Latourette, Amanda Larsen and Ken Larsen from Harrold Campus accompanied the students, the release said.
DCMO BOCES is a regional provider of educational services to students and schools, and operates school campuses in Sidney Center and Norwich, the release said. Visit www.dcmoboces.com to find out what courses are offered.