“Push yourself to prove yourself.”

Those words have guided Northlands student Tearron Dinkins to great heights as he completes his training in Urban Forestry.

The 21-year-old student who hails from Ansonia, Connecticut dominated the recent TCIAF 2011 Student Career Days competition, taking the top spot and winning a new STIHL 201 T arborist chain saw. Even more, he caught the eye of recruiters eager to offer the young man a job.

“I still have companies calling me,” he said. “The competition was fun, but learning about the latest in equipment and techniques was really awesome.”

Tearron chose to work for a company called The Care of Trees based in Manhattan. He will work around the city, caring for trees in Central Park and elsewhere, while padding his pockets with $20.95 an hour in pay.

When Tearron first came to Northlands he says he knew very little. “I knew almost nothing about trees, and even less about my trade. Urban Forestry really opened my eyes. It helped me conquer my fears and open up my personality. It made me who I am right now.”

Set to complete his training and begin work in January, Tearron continues to help new students entering the trade. Showing a new female classmate the ropes, he encouraged her to work hard and stay focused. “There’s nothing holding you back,” he says. “The proof is in the pudding. If I can do it, so can you.”