For years, Marshall has been praised for its outstanding test scores and extracurricular activities. One element of the 47-year-old school that has, until recently, fallen to the wayside is the landscaping.
A prime example of landscape deterioration is the ?M? formation of bushes on the hill adjacent to the school. But with the help of bake sales, two different groups hope to restore the exterior of the school to its former glory.
The Octagon Club, one of these groups, decided to start a new fundraiser.
“After talking through a bunch of different ideas,” club sponsor Julie Veenstra said, “the kids decided that they wanted to try to fix up the Marshall ?M?.”
With the renovation plans well underway, the Octagon Club decided that “they wanted something to represent Marshall that was more ascetically pleasing to go with the newly renovated school,” Veenstra said.
Unknown to the club, the Beautification committee had already begun plans to repair the ?M.?
The Committee, which is comprised solely of adults, “came to the Octagon Club because they wanted student input,” Veenstra said. The Octagon Club then formed a committee of their own to work alongside the Beautification Committee in planning and meeting with landscapers.
These committees are still in the planning stages of the process.
“We don?t know how much it will cost yet,” Veenstra said.
This project is proving to be a less than simple task, as the landscapers are faced with geographical challenges. The hill on which the ?M? is planted has a steep slant, not conducive to life for many plants.
“A problem we are facing is the steep slope of the hill,” Veenstra said. “Whatever goes in has to be strong enough to withstand erosion and other ecological factors, but still be pleasing to the eye and that we can be proud of.”
In order to cover the cost, though still unknown, the Octagon Club organized a bake sale after school this month.
Continuing their efforts to improve the look of the exterior of the school, the Octagon Club and the Beautification Committee sponsored Beautification Saturday to lanscape the front of the school in addition to continuing the landscaping in the senior courtyard.