The underutilized area outside Village Meadows Elementary School's library/media center before Grasshopper Landscaping donated artificial turf to the 50-by-15-foot space.
The underutilized area outside Village Meadows Elementary School's library/media center before Grasshopper Landscaping donated artificial turf to the 50-by-15-foot space.
SIERRA VISTA — Spring has sprung, and though it may not be coming up roses at Village Meadows Elementary School, spring is still bringing a ring of green splendor outside the school’s media center currently being updated through a grant the school received.
Thanks to a surprise donation by Huachuca City-based Grasshopper Landscaping & Maintenance of more than $11,000 for installing artificial turf bordered with stone pavers, Village Meadows is going to have a more usable area for its students — as well as enhancing it with a more colorful appeal — to a 50-by-15-foot section that had been underutilized.
Grasshopper’s donation, which came to $11,472.87 and included the cost of materials and labor, was accepted by the Sierra Vista Unified School District’s Governing Board at a recent board meeting.
The project began early Monday morning and was completed later that day by the family-owned company that has repeatedly been voted as the top landscaping business in the Herald/Review’s Best Of awards each fall.
“The school was absolutely floored by this,” said SVUSD Public Information Officer Valerie Weller. “Grasshopper came out last week to take measurements and give an estimate for the project, but then decided to donate the whole thing. It’s pretty amazing, and we’re all entirely grateful.”
The new greenspace will tie in with part of a remodel project Village Meadows is doing on the school’s media center, said Weller.
Village Meadows’ instructional coach and student council club leader Kristina Rose-Holston — who spearheaded and designed the project to create a space where students could read and partake in other school-related activities — also was stunned when she learned the landscaping company was installing the turf at no charge.
“When she heard that Grasshopper was going to donate the entire project, Ms. Holston was like ‘They’re doing what?’ “ said Weller. “We all were (amazed) when we heard the news.”
Holston said the school created a plan for its media center that included a large, outdoor area.
“We knew that some artificial turf would make help make our outdoor space a comfortable area for students to relax and enjoy reading,” said Holston. “But artificial turf is expensive. That is when Grasshopper Landscaping came to our rescue.”
Holston said the school was able to utilize the funds it saved through Grasshopper Landscaping’s donation to fully stock its STEM Maker Space, a dedicated learning area for students to explore and understand the concepts of science, technology, engineering and math with a hands-on approach.
“Our media center will inspire our students to create, innovate and grow as learners,” she added. “I am so grateful to Grasshopper Landscaping for investing in our school and our community.”
Grasshopper Landscaping owners Damon and Marie Trejo were just as thrilled about donating the project as the school.
“We went and talked with the school about it, and when they explained what they were trying to do, we really liked the idea of creating something for kids,” said Marie Trejo. “The more we talked about it the more we really thought it would be a great thing to do as a donation.
“We haven’t done a lot of contributions but this one really grabbed us, and we loved the idea of making a nice-looking place for kids to read and to be in a comfortable, safe place. We’re just happy this worked out as well as it did.”
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