Setting roots in young minds

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT BEACH -- They are the next generation set to stand guard over the

trees of Newport Beach.

Nearly 100 third-grade students from Andersen Elementary School helped to

plant trees in Buffalo Hills Park on Wednesday in celebration of Arbor

Day.

“We saved the tree’s life -- we put soil in it,” said 9-year-old George

Kim.

Arbor Day is a nationally celebrated observance originated in 1872 by J.

Sterling Morton of Nebraska as a response to a proclamation urging

settlers to plant tress on the prairie.

Originally set on the last Friday in April, the day in which Americans

are encouraged to plant and care for trees is now determined by each

individual state, based on that state’s optimal planting season.

In California, it was celebrated Wednesday with little arms straining to

lift heavy shovels as students in Rick Barth’s third-grade class dumped a

mound of soil at the base of an American sweet gum tree.

“Trees are important because they give us air,” said 8-year-old Justin

Papa.

That nugget of information was just one of many learned by students on

Arbor Day.

John Conway, who cares for the 30,000 trees in Newport Beach, taught

children all about our leafy friends as he described the various types of

trees that students helped to plant.

Barth’s was just one of four classes from Andersen helping to plant four

new trees in the park.

On the veru first Arbor Day, more than one million trees were planted in

Nebraska’s communities and farms.

During the hourlong program at the park, Newport Beach City Councilman

Tom Thomson also accepted a Tree City USA and Growth Award on behalf of

the city from state Department of Fire Protection before being serenaded

by students.

Children belted out a touching rendition of “This Land is Your Land” and

then recited a poem.

“We sang a poem and a song about trees and how they live,” said Shai

Castro, 8.

Before heading back to school, each child was given a Parlor Palm sapling

to nurture and grow.