Arbor Day Ceremony Celebrates
Green Environment
Promoting a greener environment and beautifying the grounds of Huntington High School were two worthwhile community service initiatives recently tackled by members of the environmental club and Gay Straight Alliance.
Environmental club faculty advisor Craig McKee and GSA advisor Anna Fabela joined forces to celebrate Arbor Day at the school. Club presidents Erin LaSorsa and Jamie Moskowitz helped spearhead the effort of their respective organizations, which sold Earth Day 2012 t-shirts to fund the purchase of trees that were planted in the school courtyards.
A Golden Chain tree and a Leyland Cypress evergreen tree were hand-selected for planting by Mr. McKee, a high school science teacher. The tees will enrich the ecosystem of the courtyards. Members of the two clubs planted the trees last Friday during a last morning Arbor Day ceremony attended by Principal Carmela Leonardi.
Created by Julius Sterling Morton, Arbor Day is now celebrated in all 50 US states. "The first Arbor Day originated in Nebraska, as a day to celebrate the gift of trees and all that they contribute to the environment," explained Ms. Fabela, a science teacher at the school. "It is a day to plant a tree on your own property or purchase one for someone else. Sometimes the individual person does not always realize what a difference they can make on a larger scale. In reality, simply planting a tree can improve your area's ecosystem and send a positive message for other people to do the same."
Mr. McKee hopes that all Americans "do their part" to help create a better environment through simple actions, such as recycling, conserving water or planting a tree. Environmental club and GSA members are encouraging Huntington residents to look at this year's Arbor Day planting ceremony and draw inspiration to plant a tree of their own.
The two clubs are looking forward to building about their joint success and to continuing the newly established Arbor Day tradition for many years to come.