MEXICO — Jeremy Grignon said he was honored and surprised to be named the Career and Technical Education Student of the Year at Region 9 School of Applied Technology.

“I was excited and honored to even be nominated,” the 18-year-old Dirigo High School student said.

He is the son of John and Mary Grignon of Dixfield.

Jeremy is in the forestry program and plans to attend the University of Maine in the fall to study forest management.

Forestry and safe forestry practices aren’t new to him. He has worked in the woods with his father he was young. He started driving a skidder at age 9 and cutting wood at age 12.

“I want to help people and manage woodlots,” Jeremy said. “I thought being a logger for a while would help.”

His father said he is proud of his son; Jeremy will be the first in his family to attend college.

He participates in the school’s Outing Club and Ecology Club, is an avid fisherman and likes to snowmobile.

Jeremy is a star tennis player who is 12th seed in singles in the state. The Dirigo team heads to the tournament at Colby College on Friday. He also plays soccer.

Along with two years in the forestry program, where he has earned his Certified Logging Professional certification, Jeremy has earned his certificate as a Class B truck driver, and will soon have his Class A truck driving certification.

Grignon said he’s excited and nervous about attending UMO. He hopes to be employed as a work-study student and volunteer with the foresters, who can help him add to his skills. Some of his fellow classmates will also be attending UMO or nearby Eastern Maine Community College.

Jeremy is active in the Calvary Hill Baptist Church in Wilton and is a worship leader there.

During the summer, he will work with his father, who owns JP Logging.

Grignon has a brother, Justin Grignon, who is a freshman at Dirigo, and an older brother, John Lee.