Aaron Carr, a junior at Berne-Knox-Westerlo, has been awarded a $1,000 grant to build his hardscaping business.

Hardscaping is landscape architecture, building, for example, walls or paths as part of a landscape.

Carr’s grant, sponsored by Bayer, will help him in starting his Supervised Agricultural Experience project, part of the Future Farmers of America program. Carr’s grant application was selected from among 1,086 applicants across the nation.

“This will help in purchasing materials, application fees, and various other expenditures associated with the start up of a business,” said Carr in a release announcing the grant. “Prior to this year, I was unaware of the many opportunities that FFA had to offer me.”

BKW agriscience teacher and FFA advisor Michaela Kehrer said in the release, “Receiving this grant will provide Aaron the funds to continue to improve his hardscaping business … Additionally, Aaron is able to share his experiences with the students in his landscaping/floral design class. He is truly a driven student who has a clear vision for his future.”