Thanks to the West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association (WVNLA) and hard-working students, the front entrance of the Point Pleasant Junior/Senior High School has received a landscaping enhancement.

The WVNLA board of directors approved a $2,000 donation to the school at their October 22 meeting to help facilitate the landscaping project, which was overseen by Bud Cottrill, a professional landscaper and member of the WVNLA board.

Cottrill said the project entailed the addition of high-quality topsoil, mulch, decorative stone, 15 ornamental grasses and eight flowering bushes to create an inviting, sustainable and visually appealing landscape.

“The landscaping area at the front of the school is highly visible to students, staff, families and community members who use our facility nearly seven days a week for various events and programs,” said William Cottrill, principal of Point Pleasant Junior/Senior High School.

He added that visitors walk and drive past the entrance for school activities, athletic events, community meetings and county and state functions.

William Cottrill said the project was a collaborative effort between Discover Your Future (DYF) classes and the Tu-Endie-Wei Garden Club based in Point Pleasant, combining hands-on student learning with community partnership. DYF students took the lead in project planning, design and installation, giving them practical experience in landscaping, budgeting and community service.

Robert Gompers, WVNLA president, who owns Highland Landscaping in Buckhannon, said this community project will directly contribute to a lasting improvement that benefits students, parents, teachers and the broader community.

“The Point Pleasant beautification hits all of our criteria — community and educational impact, student involvement, community collaboration and facility enhancement,” Gompers said.

West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc., established in 1939, is a professional trade association dedicated to supporting nursery and landscape businesses and vendors throughout the Mountain State. WVNLA members support West Virginia college students studying horticulture and landscape architecture with scholarship opportunities. For more information, visit wvnla.org.