Hoaglin Foundation Garden dedicated at high school

The garden behind Mt. Pleasant High Community High School was dedicated Wednesday and has been named the William M. and Donna J. Hoaglin Foundation Garden.

The garden was created for the FFA chapter and students in the agricultural program at the high school.

While the garden itself was a great idea, there were many other needs that would benefit and improve the garden’s longevity.

Mathew Jones, who is a Mt. Pleasant Community High School agricultural teacher and FFA adviser, along with Mary Elgar contacted the Hoaglin Foundation and requested $22,500 with the hope that they would be able to build the garden.

“We were generously awarded the full amount,” Jones said. “That allowed us to purchase a shed, run water lines, and put up a deer fence. All this including tools and supplies that we could use to build the garden. We felt the least we could do was name the garden after the foundation and those people.”

The garden creates a great learning opportunity for students interested in agriculture at the high school.

“This is a great first step for real world and hands on teaching outside of the classroom,” Jones said.

The garden has made an impact around the community. This past year many of the peppers that were grown in the garden were donated to the Fellowship Cup.

Next year the garden will be overseen by the high school’s plant science class. The class will make all decisions related to the garden. This includes how it will be marketed, what will be grown and who will receive the products.

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