Philomath High School forestry students participated in the annual Future Natural Resources Leadership State Convention Friday and Saturday, an event that included a skills competition.
The convention got underway this past Friday with technical events at Oregon State University and continued Saturday with physical events at Brooks.
In all, 18 Philomath students participated — seniors Hayden Fishe and Aria Gassner; juniors Caleb Babcock, Ethan Fuston, Emma May, Josiah Peters, Tyler Smouse, Mason Stevens, Mayson Wallace and Jude Wilson; sophomores Nate Bennett, Odin Compton, Blaze Gellatly, Elizabeth Hamlet, Jamin Peters and Trenton Riley; and freshmen Jacoby Babcock and Emmylou Cook.
In the skills competition, Smouse and Jacoby Babcock teamed up to win cable splicing. In crosscut saw, Caleb Babcock and Josiah Peters placed second. Jeremy Babcock was second and Wilson third in arbor climb. Cook placed third in prepared speech.
Others placewinners in individual events included Caleb Babcock (fourth, arbor climb), Riley (fifth, compass and pacing), Fishe (sixth, job interview), Gassner (sixth, tree identifying), Smouse (sixth, tool identifying) and Compton (sixth, axe throwing). Also, Fishe and Stevens were fourth in cable splicing and Jamin Peters and Jacoby Babcock were sixth in crosscut saw.