2025 Fresh Wood Student Competition Winners Announced

Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) announced the Fresh Wood student woodworking competition winners at the AWFS Fair in Las Vegas.

Spanning the nation and over 16 woodworking programs, the Fresh Wood competition brings together high school and post-secondary students up to 35 years old to showcase the latest talent in woodworking. Most categories of the Fresh Wood competition are sorted by student education level – high school and post-secondary and are judged in one of five categories:

• Tables
• Seating
• Case Goods
• Design for Production
• Open Category

All students are judged on the following criteria: innovation, craftsmanship, functionality, construction techniques, and aesthetics by industry professionals.

The winners of the Fresh Wood competition are awarded cash prizes, and some get free software from this year’s sponsor, KCD Software.

• Honorable Mention - $250
• 2nd Place - $500
• 1st Place - $1,000
• People’s Choice - $750
• Best of Show - $1,000

Tables – Honorable Mention, High School
Junebug Brown
“Carved Side Table”
Decatur High School

Tables – 2nd Place, High School
Jackson Jensen
“The Clear Winner”
Corner Canyon High School

Tables – 1st Place, High School
Jacob Hamblin
“Grain & Goal Foosball Table”
Corner Canyon High School 

Case Goods – 2nd Place, High School
Damian Sanchez
“Hope”
Oceanside High School

Case Goods – 1st Place, High School
Gavin Richards
“Whiskey Cabinet”
Fremont Public High School

Open Category – Honorable Mention, High School
Brock Sorenson
“Daybreak”
Corner Canyon High School

Open Category – 2nd Place, High School
Porter Avery
“Maple Harbor”
Tooele High School

Open Category – 1st Place, High School
Ashton Anderson
“Violin”
Mustang High School

Tables – 2nd Place, Post-Secondary
Sarah Kane
“Coffee Table”
Vermont Woodworking School

Tables – 1st Place, Post-Secondary
Wesley Terrell
“Side Table”
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Seating – 2nd Place, Post-Secondary
Dustin Grant
“The Mentor’s Chair”
Utah Valley University

Seating – 1st Place, Post-Secondary
Matthew McDermott
“Stools”
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Case Goods – 2nd Place, Post-Secondary
Audrey Kasinger
“Artist’s Cabinet”
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Case Goods – 1st Place, Post-Secondary
Eliot Childress
“The Next Chapter”
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Open Category – 2nd Place, Post-Secondary
Audrey Kasinger
“Modern Wardrobe”
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Open Category – 1st Place, Post-Secondary
Eliot Childress
“Dozukuri”
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Design for Production – Honorable Mention, Overall
Tyler Harris
“Crossroads Coffee Table”
Lincoln East High School

Design for Production – 2nd Place, Overall
Aidan Layng
“Plant Pot Holder”
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Design for Production – 1st Place, Overall
Ky Frederick
“Tension & Flow”
Lincoln East High School

At the 2025 AWFS Fair all people in attendance had the chance to vote for their favorite piece. The winner is chosen from any entry in the competition and this year’s winner of $750 and People’s Choice is:

People’s Choice
Dustin Grant
“The Mentor’s Chair”
Utah Valley University

The Best of Show award is selected from among the 1st place winners of all categories. Industry judges balance creativity, craftsmanship, functionality, and more to determine the year’s top piece. This year’s Best of Show award of an additional $1,000 went to:

Best of Show
Eliot Childress
“The Next Chapter”
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Visit www.awfsfair.org for more information.