There is plenty of cause for excitement in Montevallo, as the city’s schools have seen plenty of upgrades over the past several months.

Hundreds of Montevallo residents participated in the city’s 2014 Bulldog Day on Aug. 16, which included activities including MHS alumni baseball and softball games at Orr Park and a three-on-three basketball tournament Montevallo High School’s Susie Dement Gymnasium.

At Theron Fisher Stadium, a community yard sale started the day and was followed by a series of sporting events, recognitions and performances. Kids were included as well, with rides, games, concessions and snacks available throughout the day.

A community soccer game, introductions of Montevallo sports teams, Montevallo Youth Football team scrimmages, performances by MHS and MMS cheerleaders all occurred throughout the action-packed day. A show put on by the Montevallo High School Marching Band, the Troubadours, capped off the daylong event.

Bulldog Day, which was billed as a “tremendous success” by Montevallo High School Principal Wesley Hester, served as the perfect way to celebrate the start of the Bulldogs’ sports seasons. It also helped to celebrate recent major improvements to the MHS football stadium and renovations to the high school baseball and softball fields.

Some of the improvements made at the stadium include thorough pressure-cleaning of home and visitor bleachers, landscaping of surrounding grounds, updates to restrooms and fresh paint on home-side bleacher areas, ticket booth, visitor field house and restrooms, scoreboard posts, goal posts and flag poles.

Over the summer, the Shelby County School System made significant improvements to Montevallo Elementary, including an improved brick entrance designed to improve security at the school. Montevallo High School also received a new driveway and front parking lot as well as wood laminate flooring in the front hallway, refurbished and freshly-painted lockers and new landscaping and picnic areas.

We think Hester said it best on Bulldog Day, and we applaud the city’s efforts to improve its schools.

“Bulldog Day 2014 was a tremendous success, not because of the money that was raised, but because it helped bring the Montevallo community closer together,” Hester said. “This is yet another indication of how our community comes together for the benefit of our children and the programs that support their growth and success.”

The editorial is the opinion of the Shelby County Reporter editorial board.