The pond out front of De Soto High School has been around for ages and, as such, has been cherished by many generations of DHS students. It’s a place to relax and enjoy the serine nature surrounding it. But lately the pond has been facing some hard times.

“It’s not kept up to standard,” said AP Biology teacher Scott Sharp. “The liner we have for it now constantly leaks, and it just seems a bit run down.”

Sharp has been working towards getting enough funding to replace the current liner with something more industry standard.

“We could get a better lining, made with EDPM rubber,” Sharp said. “It’s the industry standard, but it’s unfortunately quite expensive.”

The type of lining needed to repair the pond to its former glory can cost upwards of $1,000, which can seem like a risking investment for anybody.

“The only thing I’m really stressed about is getting the thousand dollars,” Sharp said. “I went and asked Mr. Meyer to look into it so hopefully he’ll be able to help us out.”

All of these resources going to a pond may seem strange to some, but the pond restoration is something that Sharp truly believes is important to DHS.

“It’s a great habitat and a beautiful place when it’s in good shape,” Sharp said. “So I want to be able to restore it to its former glory so everyone can really appreciate it.”

Of course Sharp has plenty of help to execute the more grueling and physical part of the restoration once the project has been funded.

“I’ve got a great group of workers in my [Kansas Natural History] class,” Sharp said.”It would also be nice to have these kids leave behind a legacy that people could come and visit and enjoy.”