Wednesday, October 2, 2002
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Wednesday, October 2, 2002 |
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Burch students turn paper into trees with help from local nursery
Instead of turning trees into paper, environmentally conscious students at Robert J. Burch Elementary have found a way to turn paper into trees. Last year the school's ecology club, with the help of second- through fifth-grade students in the after school program, started a recycling drive to collect all of the white paper and newspaper in the school throughout the year. The students recycled approximately 65,000 pounds of paper and earned $252 for the school. The club used the money to purchase two new recycling containers as well as two trees to be planted in remembrance of Sept. 11. Club sponsor Donna Baena says she had planned to purchase two dogwood trees but when she arrived at Andy's II Nursery in Fayetteville to pick them up, nursery worker Forrest Cate suggested the Autumn Blaze Maple trees because they would grow larger and have a prettier color for the fall. "They were going to cost more than what we had to spend, but Mr. Cate said he would take care of the difference," said Baena. Once she got the trees back to the school, Baena and the club's co-sponsor Lisa Manthey soon discovered that they would need some help digging holes big enough for the trees. Andy's II Nursery quickly came to their rescue. "Mr. Cate offered the nursery's services in digging the holes and actually planting the trees. John Myer and Elmer Mejia planted the trees on September 9 so that they would be in place for our Sept. 11 remembrance activities," said Baena. Now that the trees are in place, the ecology club students will take turns watering the them each week. To commemorate the Sept. 11 anniversary at the school, one of Burch's parents, Kathy Bruce, made a mosaic stepping-stone to place between the trees that reads, "Burch united 9-11-02." "We are very thankful and appreciative to Andy's II Nursery and Mrs. Bruce for supporting our school," said Baena. "Burch students will grow in pride for our school and our country just as the trees will grow strong and true."
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