Chattahoochee Tech places 5th in nation at 2012 PLANET Student Career Days

More than 20 Chattahoochee Technical College horticulture students, instructors and staff members celebrated Sunday in Manhattan, Kan. as it was announced that the team had placed fifth in the annual competition portion of PLANET Student Career Days behind first place finishers Brigham Young University - Idaho. Chattahoochee Technical College was the only Georgia college or university to crack the top ten this year and the highest finishing two year college of the event.

This marked the 20th year that the college's team has finished in the top ten in the nation, including a first place finish overall in 2008 and 2010. Led by horticulture instructors John Hatfield and Bejie Herrin and Horticulture Technician Jessica Watters, the team competed against students from about 60 two-year and four-year colleges and universities. As many as 100 students competed in many of the competition's 28 events.

Chattahoochee Technical College's team scored a combined 4,141.2 points, almost 100 points ahead of sixth place finishers, Colorado State University. Along with the school's fifth place award, the team had 23 students finish in the top ten, including nine top three finishers in individual and group events. The team also won for best college cheer, receiving a check for $1,000 from John Deere.

Chattahoochee Technical College student and Canton resident Keith Loggins was also announced as the top student at the event. Loggins beat out the other approximately 900 competitors to finish first in the competitive events. Scoring 448.1 points in the five events he competed in Saturday, Loggins was more than 10 points ahead of the second place finisher.

Student Career Days, is in its 36th year and is organized by the nation's lawn and landscape association, the Professional Landcare Network, also known as PLANET. It is an annual three-day event designed to jumpstart horticultural careers for college students. Students from approximately 60 universities and colleges competed in events directly related to the skills necessary for a career in the Green Industry, including tree climbing, hardscape installation, wood construction, sales presentation, skid steer operation, and plant identification. They also participated in a career fair and networking events.

For a more comprehensive list of the college's results at the 2012 PLANET Student Career Days, visit www.studentcareerdays.org/pdfs/2012/12ctc.pdf.