Canadian High School Student Takes Top Honor in Fresh Wood Student Woodworking Competition

Aug 2, 2015 | Uncategorized

Nearly Thirty Students Received Awards for Design and Craftsmanship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAS VEGAS − (July 25, 2015) – Zachery Lush, a student at Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School, Brampton, ON., won The Best of Show Award, in the 2015 AWFS® Fresh Wood Competition after judges reviewed the projects of 40 finalists from 21 different high schools and colleges in the U.S. and Canada at the AWFS®Fair in Las Vegas. Twenty-six students went home with monetary prizes ranging from $250 to $1,000.

140Lush was awarded a coveted, custom veneer-marquetry sculpture made by master craftsman Paul Schürch, for his shelf Gravity (pictured left).  This was the first year for the new trophy, which will feature a sculpture made by a different woodworking artist each year. He received $1,000 and a Rikon 14” Bandsaw.  He also received First Place in the High School Open category of the competition, which included another $1,000 prize and a Certificate of Merit. The Best of Show award is sponsored by Rikon Power Tools.

Fair attendees awarded the People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Wagner Meters, and 233a $500 prize to Werner Pyka from Palomar College, for his Quint-Essential federal-style gaming table (pictured right), which also won First Place in the Post-Secondary tables category.

Two teachers had multiple student winners: David Welter, College of Redwoods; Peter Boeckh, Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School; Tim McNeill, Corner Canyon High School; Jack Stone, Palomar College; Keith Yow, Cedar Ridge High School.

The judging panel – consisting of Bob Barone, a luthier; Martin Goebel, owner of Goebel & Co Furniture; Daniel Hellman, co-owner of Hellman-Chang; Saul Martin, Architectural Woodworking Company; Richard A. Schroeder, Stanley Furniture and Davide Tonizzo, Design D – provided a variety of perspectives to the judging process.

First Place winners in each category and at each school level received a $1,000 prize, Second Place winners received $500 and Honorable Mention winners received $250. AWFS covers project shipping and the majority of travel and hotel costs to bring the students and their teachers to Las Vegas.

The biennial event, held as part of AWFS®Fair, attracted 169 entries from 44 different schools in the United States and Canada in 2015, which represents a 30% increase in entries from the previous competition in 2013.

High School Level First Place Winners

  • Case Goods: Isaac Lutz, Cedar Ridge High School, Hillsborough, NC, Secret Ingredient
  • Tables: Mae Garcia, Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School, Brampton, ON, Burst
  • Seating: Brittney Hoffmeier, Mustang High School, Mustang, OK, Sam Maloof Rocking Chair Replica
  • Open: Zachery Lush, Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School, Brampton, ON, Gravity
  • Design for Production: Elizabeth Mawalal, Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School, Brampton, ON, Kage
  • Special Theme: Musical Instruments: Sadie Chidester, Corner Canyon High School, Draper, UT, Featherprint

Post-secondary Level First Place Winners

  • Case Goods: Matthew Spallinger, University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande, OH, Miniature Highboy
  • Tables: Werner Pyka, Palomar College, San Marcos, CA, Quint-Essential
  • Seating: Austin (Tian) Yang, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, Grace Chair
  • Open: Joshua Torbick, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, Standing Wedge
  • Design for Production: Jonathan Manoles, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, Bent Lounge Chair
  • Special Theme: Musical Instruments: Brendan Bernhardt Gaffney, College of the Redwoods, Fort Bragg, CA, Cabinetmaker’s Zither

High School Level Second Place Winners

  • Case Goods: Erik Lutz, Cedar Ridge High School, Hillsborough, NC, Port Hole Desk
  • Tables: Daniela Karmalyuk, Dale Jackson Career Center, Lewisville, TX Nature’s Beauty Table
  • Seating: Onkar Nagra, Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School, Brampton, ON, Eclipse
  • Open: Kayla Dean, Mustang High School, Mustang, OK, Mahogany Baby Cradle
  • Special Theme: Musical Instruments: Jake Rubisch, Corner Canyon High School, Draper, UT, Mahogany Gem

Post-secondary Level Second Place Winners

  • Tables: William Strenger, Palomar College, San Marcos, CA, Arch Bridge
  • Seating: Jessica Osserman, College of the Redwoods, Fort Bragg, CA, Variations on a theme
  • Case Goods: Matt Mecaro, Palomar College, San Marcos, CA, Krenov-Inspired Cabinet

High School Level Honorable Mention Winners

  • Case Goods: Zachary Studdard, Rolla Technical Institute, Rolla, MO, The Herring
  • Open: Alex Salzman, Lincoln East High School, Lincoln, NE, Bubinga Player
  • Special Theme: Musical Instruments: Porter Thorkelson, Corner Canyon High School, Draper, UT, Sun Burst

Post-secondary Level Honorable Mention Winners

  • Seating: Funi Ding, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, Merge
  • Design for Production: Benjamin Pedrick, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, Sema Seat
  • Case Goods: Nick Weiers, Hennepin Technical College, Faribault, MN, Stereo Cabinet

Click here to see images of all 2015 Fresh Wood winners and finalists.

About AWFS®:

The full-scale international AWFS®Fair, held Wednesday – Saturday, July 22-25, 2015 in Las Vegas, has become a critical hub for international commerce in the woodworking industry. The AWFS®Fair brings together the entire home and commercial furnishings industry, including manufacturers and distributors of machinery, hardware, plastics, lumber, construction materials and other suppliers to the furniture, cabinet manufacturers and custom woodworkers.

For more information on the AWFS®Fair, please visit: AWFSFair.org.