'Plant It Back' takes root at Lincoln Street School
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

(l to r) Kevin Sullivan, Matt Campbell, Julian McClain and Alex Keegan, members of the Algonquin Regional High School football team, helped out with the rebeautification of the Lincoln Street School Courtyard. PHOTO/KEN POWERS

Northborough - What started as a high school project will end as a community event, and when it's over the Lincoln Street School will have a beautifully redesigned, redecorated and revitalized courtyard.

The endeavor, Project Plant It Back, was hatched by Algonquin Regional High School (ARHS) students Lauren Vulcano, Nick Mauch and Carolyn Whittier as part of a combined business class and DECA project.

"As it was, overgrown and neglected, it was useless to the students and staff at Lincoln Street School," Lauren said. "Nick used his landscape and architectural skills to make estimates, plans and contact local businesses about the project. Carolyn used her graphic design skills to advertise the project and I used my connections to my old elementary school, LSS, to make sure the project ran smoothly."

Lauren also served as primary fund-raiser for the project, as well as its qualitycontrol supervisor. Fundraisers the group used to raise the money needed included a Fun Day in conjunction with the Lincoln Street School Fair, held in the fall. In addition, all the proceeds of the Holiday Shop, held in December, went to the project.

Lincoln Street School fourth-grade teacher Michele Vulcano - Lauren's mother - as well as Lincoln Street School Principal Dr. Jean Fitzgerald served as liaisons for the project.

The project also received monetary grants from the Junior Woman's Club, the Garden Club and the Lincoln Street School Parent Teacher Organization, as well as a donation of $50 from 9-yearold Brendan Clark - a thirdgrade student at Lincoln Street School.

Many local merchants also donated goods and services, including: Agway, which donated two types of fertilizer; Wal-Mart, which donated a sprinkler, fertilizer, six day lilies and grass seed; Bigelow Nursery, which donated two dogwood trees, four day lilies, four black-eyed Susans and four salvia plants; and Zecco Brothers, which donated 10 yards of mulch.

In addition, J.D. Tree Service removed the three trees that had grown out of control within the courtyard, R&R Stump Cutting removed the stumps left after the trees were removed, and GCR Landscaping - owned and operated by assistant ARHS football coach Gene Robinson - re-landscaped the entire courtyard.

Volunteering their brawn to help complete the physical aspects of the project were members of the ARHS football team as well as its coach, Mike Vulcano, Lauren's father.

"The project really turned into a community event," Lauren said. "During the year lots of students with no connection to DECA or the project helped us raise funds so we could complete the project before the students' return to school for the upcoming academic year.

"So many local businesses and residents got involved, too," she added. "Everybody really got behind us doing this, which was really fun to see. We really believed it was an important project, but to see everybody else come out and support it, too, really showed us it was worthwhile and we were doing the right thing by going forward with it."