In the blink of an eye! - The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals

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In the blink of an eye!

Only yesterday the opening ceremonies began and already it seems like we have been here forever… or for just the blink of an eye!  I should have taken notes because by now I can’t remember all of the things I learned.

Judith Guido was a super informative Keynote Speaker.  Practical ideas about personal branding were the focus of her talk and were expanded upon later in the evening as part of the Career Development Series.  She presented so many ideas that are practical reminders of critical information that I am going to e-mail her to request copies so I can reread and share these helpful tips.  Thanks Judith for sharing in so many ways.

The cheer competition is always fun and this year was not the exception.  The Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture won everyone’s affection and the generous prize with their clever introduction.  All of the students rose to applaud the selection. 

Then the real fun began.  Students moved in a steady stream, much like Chicago’s green river, into the Career Fair.  I noticed that this year very few student s seemed to be there just to expand their tee shirt and hat collection but did seem to be genuinely interfacing one on one with the many enthusiastic industry personnel who were accepting resumes and scheduling interviews on the spot. 

The day really heated up after lunch with a whirlwind of activity as the briefings began and the narrow hallways were packed with students and faculty shoulder to shoulder trying to make their way to the Event Briefings.  Notes were being exchanged and strategies being planned.  Students were now seen lined up sitting with their backs to the wall and notes opened on their laps.  Heads were huddling together to go over last minute review and updates.  Game on!

Qualifying tests and final exams began.  The hallways quieted and nervous teams waited for their teammates to exit the assessments.  “How was it?” and “You okay?”  were answered with confident comments about the ease of the test or with stifled tears of fearful dejection.  For some students, it is all over.  They had one or two events, the tests were tonight and they will have to wait for one or two whole days to find out how they did.  All their study time and effort has paid off. . .or not.  For others, their engines have just revved up and they are throttling back their readiness to surge into action today.

Then the waiting began.  First one or two, then small groups, and finally crowds gathered in the atrium to wait for the posting of the qualifiers.  Some were surprised that they had made the cut and some were equally surprised that they hadn’t.  Without really wanting it to be so, you could tell that faculty and students were calculating how these results would impact their final scores. 

All the students and faculty of Chattahoochee Tech wish the best of luck to each of the students who have dedicated so much time and energy to their preparations for PLANET SCD 2011.