Whitman Seniors Pat Lafler and Josh Russ competed in the New York State Conservation Competition at SUNY Morrisville on May 20th, 2010. At the competition there was everything from the axe throw to backhoe skills. Pat Lafler competed in 3 different events: tree climbing, axe throw, and team fire build. Josh Russ competed in the team pulp throw and also backhoe skills.
   Lafler placed 10th in the tree climbing event, and 5th for axe throwing. Lafler and his partner Jose Cruz-Wells from Canandaigua placed 6th for team fire build. Josh Russ placed 2nd in Backhoe skills and received a $5,000.00 scholarship from Ohio Diesel Tech College. “There were so many people at the competition” Russ says. “There where people from all around, all competing in different events.”
   Josh Russ states that he will not be attending the college because they do not offer the classes he wishes to take. Instead Russ wants to go to Morrisville to be a Renewal Resource Technician.
   Both Pat Lafler and Josh Russ proudly represented Marcus Whitman and were very successful. Congratulations Pat and Josh.