FARMINGTON — When Chris Butterfield of Chesterville graduates from Mt. Blue High School this month, he’ll be looking for a job, perhaps in forestry.

Named Foster Tech Center’s Student Logger of the Year last week, he is also the best tree feller in the state after winning that competition at the 34th Annual High School Logger Meet in May, teacher Dean Merrill said.

The Student Logger of the Year has to be a good student, be attentive, have a good attitude and good class attendance, Merrill said. Butterfield is beyond entry level skills in the logging industry and has been a role model to other students, he added.

The logger meet included about 85 students from Farmington and the Region 9 School of Technology in the Rumford-Mexico area, Region 2 tech school in the Houlton area and Oxford Hills Technical School in Paris.

Butterfield felled a tree within three inches of the mark, winning him the title of best feller in state, Merrill said. The Foster Tech team also earned a trophy for pulp throwing and other awards in the 20 events, he said.

The atmosphere of the classes at Foster Tech is what Butterfield has enjoyed most about his work there.

“It’s different from regular classes,” he said.

Classwork involved gaining experience through clearing ball fields, pruning, clearing land for the new water tower at the high school and using the new tractor, in which Butterfield was an excellent role model, Merrill said.

Along with the forestry classes, he has taken welding classes and job shadowed through an internship at Maple Valley Farms this year, earning that opportunity because he’s dependable and trustworthy, Merrill said.

Butterfield, the son of Jeremy Butterfield and Betsy Fronk, has previously been awarded Tech Recognition, the center’s version of student of the month.

Now, he encourages younger family members to get involved in Foster Tech Center, Butterfield said.

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