NATCHEZ &045; Efforts by students, parents, faculty and staff to spruce up Cathedral School’s grounds have yielded not just pretty flowers, but big honors.

Last week, the Natchez Board of Aldermen honored the school as its first Block of Distinction.

Every two months, aldermen will honor a city block that citizens have made special efforts to spruce up. The honor will rotate among the city’s six alderman wards, with each alderman forming a committee to select a block to be honored.

In Cathedral’s case, Ward 4 Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West presented the honor Tuesday night to Headmaster Pat Sanguinetti.

In his remarks, West noted not only Cathedral’s beautification efforts, but its long history in Ward 4 and its commitment to diversity.

Sanguinetti later noted that several groups affiliated with the school have a part in beautifying the grounds. Students plant the school’s Memorial Garden, while parents plant rose gardens.

The school’s Peer Ministry Group also plans to plant additional flowers on the grounds.

&uot;And we couldn’t do it all without our maintenance staff,&uot; Sanguinetti said.

Stephanie Hutchins, an organizer of a citizen committee working with city officials on solutions for the city’s beautification challenges, said the committee and city came up with the Block of Distinction idea to honor those who kept their areas looking nice.

But that’s not all Hutchins hopes the program will do.

&uot;Hopefully, others will see the Blocks of Distinction, and it will encourage them to spruce up their own block,&uot; Hutchins said.

Honorees will receive a road sign with the words &uot;Block of Distinction.&uot; The sign will be posted at the block for two months.