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The finalists for the 2025 Fresh Wood Student Competition by AWFS Fair have been announced.
This biennial competition highlights the best and most professional student work from high school through post-secondary level woodworking education. This year’s competition is judged by hand-picked wood industry professionals from across the nation. Awards will be announced at the 2025 AWFS Fair at the AWFS Fair Live Stage at 4:00pm on Thursday, July 24.
Forty pieces of student work from 16 different schools across the US will be displayed during the AWFS Fair at the Fresh Wood booth. Attendees and exhibitors alike will have the chance to vote for the People's Choice Award at the booth from July 22-24. Participants in the competition as well as their teachers were invited to attend the Fair in person with most travel costs covered by AWFS.
Committee & Judges
Fresh Wood starts with a committee of industry experts to guide the competition categories and serve as advisors to AWFS staff, ensuring that this year's competition and rules reflect the needs of students and the industry.
Judging happens in two phases. The preliminary round had students send in digital submissions. From the finalists more judges will be present at the AWFS Fair to conduct the final round of judging on-site.
Fresh Wood committee members and judges, online and in person, include:
Ben Angerer Shaper Tools
Alan Harp Alan Harp Design
Meg Mitchell Everlong Creative
Saúl Martín Architectural Woodwork Institute
Logan Newman Newman Specials Custom Woodworking
Mei-yen Shipek Zendesk
Taryn Schwartz Ballard Designs
Lois Snyder Periwinklers
Corey Tighe CT Woodwork
Dan Velazquez J. Joiners
Categories
The judging panel scored the projects in areas such as Design for Production on originality, quality of execution on reproduction pieces, craftsmanship, functionality, construction, and aesthetics. During the final round of judging at the AWFS Fair, Fresh Wood Judges inspect and interact with the furniture to decide a winner in each category. Student information remains anonymous throughout the judging process. Fresh Wood competitors submitted into one of the five categories below for both high school and post-secondary schools.
Seating
Case Goods
Tables
Design for Production
Open Category
Sponsors and Awards
Prizes are awarded in each category and at each school level for First Place ($1,000), Second Place ($500), and at the judges’ discretion, an Honorable Mention ($250). The grand prize at the Fresh Wood competition is the Best of Show Award, sponsored by KCD Software, which comes with an additional $1,000 and free KCD Software. KCD Software is also sponsoring Case Goods and Design for Production categories, with an added award of their software to the post-secondary winners.
The People’s Choice Award is presented to a Fresh Wood finalist whose project is selected by AWFS Fair attendees via online voting and includes a cash prize of $750.
The Fresh Wood student woodworking competition is free to enter. The objective of the contest is to encourage students to pursue further education and careers in woodworking and related fields as the industry faces shortages of skilled workers.
Visit www.awfsfair.org for more information on the AWFS Fair.
