MCHS Students Help Bring Beautification Project to Life

A school-community partnership adds planter boxes and hanging baskets to downtown Marengo.

A yearlong beautification effort between students and community volunteers is now rooted in place in downtown Marengo.

Six new planter boxes, each filled with beds of flowers in full bloom, now line the sidewalks of Main Street, along with 20 new hanging baskets — thanks to talented students, creative teachers and a passionate volunteer effort that helped make the project a reality.

Planting the Seed

In April of last year, Beautify Marengo volunteers got in contact with MCHS teachers in the Career & Technical Education (CTE) program, and they started putting their heads together.

Dan Schirmer, who teaches automotive, welding and small motor engines, had access to welders, tools, metal and wood. Heather Obert, who teaches agriculture, had access to green thumbs, plants, dirt and a greenhouse.

It seemed like planter boxes were a natural project to pursue together.

Schirmer started working on design plans, fitting the project within the materials and limited class periods he had available with his Welding & Fabrication CTE classes.

What Is the CTE Program?

The CTE program at MCHS, which prepares students for the workplace by building academic, vocational and career planning skills, is almost like a school within a school.

It has 6 branches: 1) Agriculture, 2) Automotive, 3) Business, 4) Engineering/Manufacturing/Construction, 5) Family and Consumer Science, and 6) Health Occupations; and each of those branches has its own set of classes. Altogether, you can find about 45 classes tucked within the CTE program, ranging from CADD I to Small Gas Engines to Floral Design.

The CTE program is lauded by the Illinois Report Card, saying, “MCHS has one of the most comprehensive career development programs in the county, if not the state,” according to its 2024-2025 assessment. Students regularly medal in state, regional and national SkillsUSA competitions, and Schirmer was even named McHenry County Educator of the Year for the High School category in 2023.

From Design to Reality

Thanks to a donation from Logisnext Americas, Schirmer’s students had the materials they’d need to weld the metal planter frames and cut the side boards to size to make six planter boxes. They’d also get started on making 20 metal brackets that would be used for hanging flower baskets along Main Street.

And with only 45 minutes per class period, they had to be efficient.

“Projects like these take time to think them through,” said Schirmer. “It is very difficult to figure out the process and get students to produce quality work. Jigs are a critical component for students to be able to produce a project like this. We are no different than the forklift plant next door.”

Meanwhile, Obert began working with MCHS FFA students to plant enough flowers to fill each planter box, growing them in the school’s onsite greenhouse. Petunias, begonias, geraniums, ivy, sweet potato vine in a mix of greens, oranges, reds, pinks and yellows. Oh, and the dirt.

By spring of 2026, the flowers were ready to do what they were planted to do: beautify downtown Marengo. The planter boxes — each inscribed with MCHS and CTE in the metal corners that hold the wooden sides — were ready to be installed.

Making Their Way Downtown

MCHS students took care of the bulk of the project during the school year while Beautify Marengo volunteers took care of the finishing touches and logistics in the spring.

It took approximately: 7 volunteers to sand and stain the boards that act as the planter box walls; another volunteer to screw the boards together; approximately 9 volunteers to move the planter boxes downtown; and another 7 volunteers to plant everything. Plus several volunteers who have stepped up to water them for the rest of the summer.

The planter box project doesn’t stop there. The MCHS CTE program is now selling them for $150 each, and for extra the FFA will plant them for you, with profits benefiting students in those programs, including support for competing in SkillsUSA.

Not Your Average Competition

Through SkillsUSA, CTE students compete at regional, state and national levels in hands-on skill demonstrations in more than 100 occupational areas. Marengo students have competed and medaled at every level for many years, with Mary Schirmer earning Bronze in Automotive Refinishing Technology at the National Leadership & Skills Conference last year.

This year, Marengo student Ryan Grismer earned Silver in Automotive Refinishing Technology while competing at the state level, while Colten Grandinetti earned Bronze in Diesel Equipment Technology.

Grandinetti, who competed for the first time this spring, described multiple stations where students demonstrated skills such as identifying parts of an engine, or troubleshooting electrical systems on heavy machinery like skid steers and excavators.

“I wanted to challenge my abilities and see how I compared to the rest of the state,” he said, noting that he feels he has a better chance next year because the competition feedback gave him a better idea of which skills to focus on.

“I feel it was a reflection of what I’ve been working on all year,” said Devon Dreher, who competed in Automotive Refinishing this year, placing 6th.

Marengo student Lexavier Bahena earned Gold at state this year, earning him a spot at the national competition where he placed 11th in the Automotive Refinishing category.

Support the Program

Students in Marengo’s CTE program are recognized for their talent year after year, at every level. And one way they can practice for next year’s competition is by making planter boxes.

To purchase a planter box and support the MCHS CTE program, reach out to Schirmer at schirmerd@mchs154.org. Students will make them throughout the 2026-2027 school year and they will be completed in the spring of 2027. For extra, FFA students will plant them for you.

CTE students are even offering free local delivery.