Dear Lawn Business Owner,
We continue to learn just how far this industry has advanced.
They gave away $144,000 in scholarships to future landscapers last week.
That’s right!
The formal awards breakfast was held on March 20, 2025 in Fort Collins, CO on the campus of Colorado State University. Yours truly attended this prestigious event for the very first time.
The National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation awarded 97 uniquely named scholarships at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition. Each scholarship has been made possible by a super-successful landscaping company, industry supplier or generous family in landscaping. The current list of Ambassadors can be found here.
We received the invitation to attend because a group of successful landscapers chose to fund a scholarship in the name of one of our industry’s greatest teachers, Mr. Charles Vander Kooi.
The Charles Vander Kooi memorial scholarship idea was introduced by Scott Evans. Scott is the founder of FEWA (Federation of Employers and Workers of America) with headquarters in Bay City, TX.
We appreciate Scott for having shared this idea to honor Mr. Vander Kooi. Scott put together a group of people with the capacity to fund this scholarship.
We lost Mr. Vander Kooi in 2016. With generous gifts by those who love and appreciate the education efforts by Mr. Vander Kooi over the years, we now have a permanent, annual scholarship in Mr. Vander Kooi’s name.
We had breakfast with the 2025 winner of the Charles Vander Kooi Memorial Scholarship winner. Pictured is Tony Bass, Hannah Reutter and Joe Ketter, current President of the NALP Foundation.
Hannah Reutter
North Dakota State University
Hannah Reutter is a student at North Dakota State University majoring in Horticulture and Crop & Weed Science. She is passionate about connecting people with plants and enjoys working outside, especially with plants. She is excited to continue exploring her career interests in public horticulture and research.
We learned that Hannah is participating in an Internship at the Denver Botanical gardens this summer. The funds will help her pay for housing during her stay in Denver.
The family of Charles Vander Kooi received this beautiful crystal artwork recognizing the scholarship.
After the awards ceremony was complete, I took the artwork to Hazel Vander Kooi (Charles’ wife) so their family can enjoy knowing that Mr. Vander Kooi’s legacy is alive and well.
I grabbed this photo after our meeting.
Three things I’d like to share with landscapers young and old.
- The landscape industry offers incredible opportunities for those who choose to join, embrace education and stick with it.
- The NALP Foundation has created an amazing organization that supports education in a big way. Learn more about becoming an ambassador and how to endow a scholarship here.
- If you need shade, the best day to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best day to plant that tree is today! We will need energetic young people in our industry forever. Scholarships help us bring young people to this industry. Old guys and gals who have had success in landscaping have a fiduciary responsibility to promote this industry as a great place to work. I’m proud to have taken part in this.
Tony Bass, founder
866-923-0027
PS – The National Landscape Collegiate Competition had 750 competing in 33 unique events.
The results of the competitive events are found here.
Dr. Phil Allen of Brigham Young University reported to me that (for the first time) in 2024 he had two students graduate with six figure incomes. That’s a big payday for a young landscaper!
