Huntington, IN - The Huntington County Community School Board received an impressive presentation from the HNHS Green Team during the April 14, 2025 Public Work Session, detailing plans to transform a strip of land adjacent to the school parking lot into a vibrant environmental learning space.
The project, spearheaded by Teacher of the Year Mr. Park and his dedicated students, will soon move forward following land acquisition proceedings between the school corporation and the city of Huntington. The 66-foot wide, 532-foot long property will be transferred to school ownership through parallel resolutions expected to be passed on April 28.
"Our goal is not just a beautification project. We also want it to involve other students. We want to promote the involvement of multiple classes and all kinds of students," explained McKenna Landrum, HNHS Green Team leader.
During the presentation, students outlined a multi-year vision that begins with improving soil quality this fall by planting non-invasive rye grass to reintroduce nutrients. Future phases include establishing native Indiana grasses like big and little bluestem, adding wildflowers for pollinators, creating walking paths, and strategically placing benches for outdoor learning spaces.
"We're going to plant trees, but we can't only plant trees. There's got to be something below that because we don't want the custodians to have to come back and mow the grass that's currently there. At some point we're going to have to till this all up, after the rye and after the nutrients are back in the soil, then plant some native grasses. From there, we can plant the other things and add the trails," explained Isaac Grogg, HNHS Green Team leader.
The project has garnered attention from potential community partners, with Duke Energy expressing interest in providing funding through their foundation once the land acquisition is finalized and board support is officially established.
"For oak trees or other versions of trees that are really good to soak up water in the middle, we'll have to mark out all the utilities and make sure the roots, whether that's a tap root or whether that's a sprawl, work with where the utilities are," explained Max Robrock, who created digital renderings of the proposed space.
Environmental benefits extend beyond beautification. The native plantings will create habitats for pollinators, require minimal maintenance compared to traditional grass, and help mitigate runoff issues from the adjacent parking lot.
"Wild flowers are especially important because they're good for pollinators. We're going to want bees and butterflies and hummingbirds to come back to this area so it keeps on being more diverse and have more animals and just be more nature-like," Green Team Leader Jessie Bilyeu explained.
Mr. Park emphasized the sustainability aspect of the project, noting that students from all grade levels have been recruited to ensure continuity as seniors graduate. The presentation concluded with board members expressing enthusiasm for the well-thought-out proposal.
The land acquisition resolution is expected to appear on the consent agenda at the April 28, 2025 school board meeting.