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Media Contact:
Sara Stacy on behalf of Image Focus:
(313) 510-2775 or sarastacypr@gmail.com
Toledo Memorial Park Continues Rewarding Horticulture Internship Program
The program is part of an ongoing partnership with Sylvania Schools
Sylvania, OH — Northview High School senior Makayla Johnson started this month as the 2023 Sylvania Schools Horticulture Intern at Toledo Memorial Park (the Park). The rewarding partnership between Sylvania Schools and the Park goes back several decades.
The internship is a part of the extensive horticulture program that Johnson attends through Southview High School. The two-year program is only offered at Southview where there are three greenhouses and the students focus on themes including parks and recreation, greenhouse management, landscapes system management, and business management for agriculture. The students earn their OSHA 30 certification and can earn up to 13 college credits through the program.
Makayla, better known to her friends and family as Mak, attends Northview for her core classes and Southview for horticulture. This is her second year in the program. “I’ve always been interested in nature and plants, I created a native prairie feature in our garden at home with my mom,” said Johnson. “My mom got me interested in looking at tech programs like this one and I’m planning to major in environmental science at BGSU next fall.”
This is Toledo Memorial Park’s third horticulture intern through Sylvania Schools. Additionally, they have a program for hiring summer help through the school system. The relationship dates back to the late-1970’s
Johnson is working closely with Gina Wells, executive coordinator at the Park, and will help with park planting projects and maintenance as well as learn about plant identification and pruning. This internship will also give Johnson an opportunity to work on horticulture projects that are unique to an extensive cemetery such as the Perennial Garden which contains more than 60 plant species integrated with human cremains in ornamental markers like decorative boulders and birdbaths with engraving.
“The maintenance of an area like this is very different from a traditional memorial marker area and also from that of a typical garden,” said Wells. “It’s been wonderful to highlight these unique sections of the Park and it gives Makayla interesting and tailored experiences to take with her when she graduates.”
“Being involved with the local schools has been such a positive experience for the Park,” said Jeff Clegg, president and CEO of Toledo Memorial Park. “It’s great to see the students become ambassadors of the program and we’ve even had current and retired employees who started at the Park as a part of these immersive programs thanks to this relationship.”
Johnson will learn about the Green Ribbon Initiative with Oak Openings, work with the Master Gardeners and with Maumee Valley Adventure Group, and so much more. Prior to this internship Johnson was a volunteer through the Toledo Zoo’s Zoo Teen program. She has nearly 500 volunteer hours under her belt.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sara Stacy on behalf of Image Focus:
(313) 510-2775 or sarastacypr@gmail.com
Toledo Memorial Park
Established in 1922, Toledo Memorial Park is the area’s finest cemetery, with 380 beautiful acres of meadows, ponds, magnificent trees, flowering plants and sculptures all designed to celebrate the living beauty of nature. Our goal has been to create a peaceful retreat where generations can gather in beauty and tranquility to remember their loved ones. The non-sectarian, non-denominational, non-profit Park is solely owned by property owners who believe in family, choices and commitment. The Park includes a crematory, mausoleums, chapels, columbariums and burial sections accommodating both lawn level memorials and upright monuments and provides for all individual preferences including earth burial, mausoleum entombment, cremation and inurnment. For more information visit www.ToledoMemorialPark.com or call (419) 882-7151.