CAZENOVIA — Since Matthew Maggio launched Scholars Landscaping, LLC, in 2021, the Cazenovia-based company has partnered with a local teen to help him launch his own business, and it has maintained its commitment to supporting students pursuing alternative learning outside the traditional college path.

The company provides scheduled mowing, weeding, brush removal, pruning, plant care, edging, trimming, and seasonal clean-up to the communities of Cazenovia, Canastota, East Syracuse, Fayetteville, Manlius, and Pompey.

According to Maggio, the mission of Scholars Landscaping is to provide professional lawn care and property management services while enriching the community by supporting young entrepreneurs and local schools.

“I want to encourage our youth [to consider] that there are opportunities outside of the traditional schooling path,” Maggio said. “Kids are pressured from a very early age [to think] that success equals getting into a good college, [and that] equals getting a good job. Although following this path works for some children, it is not the right path, carte blanche, for all. I also see the increasing need for trades in our community and an increasing lack of tradespeople to do the work. I want to provide another path to success outside of the traditional college path. Some of the most successful people I have met do not have college degrees, own their own businesses, and apply themselves to work to their strengths.”

Rather than own Scholars Landscaping by himself and hire employees, Maggio has decided to partner with young adults and high-school students to make them shareholders in the business.

At the end of the season, they can sell their shares back to the company or stay on as an owner.

Partners gain many of the skills required to own a business, such as setting schedules, managing time and expenses, communicating, forming interpersonal and customer relationships, and developing a good work ethic.

Richard Cunningham, who is originally from Utica and attended Proctor High School, joined Scholars Landscaping in 2021 as the company’s first partner. He has stayed on as an owner ever since.

“After high school, I moved out to Canastota to raise a family with my fiancé, Jennifer Gladle,” said Cunningham. “I met Matt Maggio, and he pitched me the idea of starting Scholars Landscaping. I absolutely loved the idea and immediately jumped on board. [For the 2022 season], we were by ourselves. As the business grew, the following year we were able to hire our first ‘scholar’ out of Cazenovia High School, Dennis Dougherty.”

With support from Scholars Landscaping, Dougherty, who is now in 10th grade, has decided to leave the company to develop his own business, “Last Resort Lawn Care,” for the 2024 season.

“For the last four years, I have been mowing lawns in the Village of Cazenovia,” said Dougherty. “I started off small, just mowing for a few family friends, but last year I got the opportunity to work for Scholars Landscaping. Both Matt Maggio and Rich Cunningham taught me a lot about how to operate a business, educating me with the back-end details of owning a lawn care company, such as the invoicing and quoting, along with things [like] how to complete jobs more efficiently and how to maintain equipment. Long story short, my experience with Scholars Landscaping really inspired me to take my own business, Last Resort Lawn Care, to the next level. At the end of last season, I bought a commercial John Deere zero-turn mower, which has [allowed me] to largely expand my operation, servicing 30 lawns weekly and counting in the Village of Cazenovia. I am so grateful for all that I have learned from Christina New, the head of the entrepreneurship program at Cazenovia High School, and from Matt and Rich at Scholars Landscaping. They pushed me and gave me the encouragement and the knowledge needed for me to continue my own business, and I am forever grateful for their help. I look forward to continuing to learn from Scholars Landscaping and continuing to grow my own business.”

According to Maggio, he and Cunningham continue to support Dougherty and help in any way they can.

“We are offering him advice and mentoring along the way in his new venture,” Maggio said.

In addition to providing mentorship and opportunities to its partners, Scholars Landscaping has committed to donating a portion of its profits to local school districts to fund scholarship opportunities for high school students pursuing an education in the trades and alternative learning outside the traditional college route.

The business made its first donation, totaling $1,000, to Cazenovia Central School District (CCSD) in November 2022.

On March 29, 2024, Scholars Landscaping donated another $1,000 to the district to fund a scholarship for a student going down a trade school path.

“We intend to donate every year, and in 2025 we will be donating to multiple schools,” Maggio said.

To learn more about Scholars Landscaping, call (315) 935-4652, email [email protected], or visit scholarslandscape.com.

For more information on Last Resort Lawn Care, call (315) 708-8660 or email [email protected].