On November 15th, 2013
students, staff, and parents at Mountain Ridge Intermediate
School worked together to plant 24 flowering trees on their
campus. The trees – redbuds, flowering dogwoods, and
serviceberries – will add aesthetic value to the campus and
playground, reduce soil erosion, and provide habitat and
food for wildlife.
Throughout the day 135 student
volunteers assisted with planting the trees. In groups of
20-25 the students came out onto the playground, learned
about the benefits of trees and how to plant trees, and then
planted some of their own.
Project Leader and teacher Beth Le
Grand says “every aspect of the WV Communitree Project was
so rewarding. The enthusiasm and support this project has
generated spread quickly throughout our school. Each call
for volunteers was answered immediately. The most memorable
moments of the day were seeing the joy and satisfaction in
the smiles and laughter of the children. They all knew they
had been a part of something that mattered. All learning
should be this wonderful. Not only the trees were planted
that day, but seeds of volunteerism, cooperation, and
concern for our environment were planted within our
students. WV CommuniTree Project is a wonderful model for
encouraging volunteerism, environmental awareness, and
community spirit that really works.”