Arbor Day, 2008 ... a success!

                                                                                                                                             Arbor Day, 2008, was a big success for Keep Akron Beautiful, in partnership with the City of Akron! This year, 3,500 Austrian Pine seedlings were delivered to all fourth graders from public and private schools within Akron, and students learned the importance of helping the environment by planting seedlings on Arbor Day.

In response to how trees can help to prevent global warming, teacher Anthony Gosmer’s fourth graders at Leggett Elementary School (pictured left) wrote the winning answer to that question with the slogan, Plant a tree, free O₂ for you and me. R.B. Stout Landscaping donated a tree to be planted on the property of the new Leggett Elementary School for next year. On April 25 at 10:30 a.m. Deputy Service Directors, Ronnie Williamson and John Valle, presented the mayor's Proclamation and award to Principal Philomena Vincente at the old school located at 619 Sumner Street.

Pam Ray, Education Specialist for Keep Akron Beautiful, delivered 51 classroom presentations about the origin and importance of this national holiday. The second place winning slogan was composed by Laurie Simms fourth grade class at Our Lady of the Elms (pictured right) with Go Green, Plant Trees, Save the Future, Let’s Do It!The Vizmeg Landscaping Company planted a donated tree on their campus under the watchful eye of Principal Marie Reichart!

Plant a tree for clean air to breathe was the third place winner written by the fourth grade class of Debra McKee at North Akron Catholic School (pictured below). Principal Christine Lackney is working with Suncrest Gardens to select the appropriate tree to plant on their school grounds. Kevin Lockett on the KAB Board of Directors was a judge this year, along with Jane Delcamp of the KAB Beautification Board; Kathy Maddex, Principal at Miller School South; Thomas Harris of City Building Maintenance; and David Csank, Principal at St. Mary Grade School.

Keep Akron Beautiful extends a very grateful thank you to everybody who made this event possible: the First Energy Foundation for the grant money to purchase the Austrian Pine seedlings to give to each public, charter and private fourth grade student in the city; Lisa Graf of Graf Growers who donated seven bales of peat moss for these seedlings; Don Prather, Sr., of Custom Poly-Bags who supplied the bags for the seedlings; Angela Gaston of Walgreens who also donated bags for transportation purposes; Bill Hahn, arborist for the City of Akron, who assisted the senior class of Our Lady of the Elms in packing the seedlings that were delivered by the Beautification Board volunteers. These volunteers included Connie Repko, Jan Enright, Joan Freeman, Jan Bird, Ann Schellin, Eve Wager, Jean Godard, Jean Colley, Peggy Taddeo, Laura Burns, Terrie Brubaker, Libert Bozzelli, Pat Ciriello, Karen Thomas, Lisa Stephens, Lisa Pardi, Candy Grisi and Nancy Rosche.

We hope Akron fourth-grade students learn about the value of trees as well as respecting living things as they nurture their new trees and get to watch them grow right in their own backyards!