For the past five years, leadership students at Mountain View Elementary have been raising money to plant six trees for every single student and staff member. This year, on Earth Day, April 22, they announced to their entire school that they have reached their goal.
Why six trees? “To Speak for the Trees” author Diana Beresford-Kroeger shared in her book that if everyone on the planet planted six trees in the next six years, we could help stop climate change in its tracks. Every tree planted makes a difference. Mountain View teacher Deborah Keenleyside took the challenge to heart.
Together with teacher Naomi Stussi, they began an environmental leadership club and students and staff started fundraising to meet the goal of planting six trees for every student. They held plant sales to help students grow food at home, launched a “granola challenge”, sold upcycled items that were turned into fairy doors, bee baths, flowerpot critters and also held Love your Planet parades to help educate their fellow students about climate change and raise awareness.
The students chose Tree Canada and the Arbor Day foundation so that their trees will be planted in Canada, and around the globe where their planted trees will have the most impact on mitigating climate change.
As a tangible reminder of their efforts, students each received a carved wooden tree. Every student in the school also cut out and coloured six trees for a new banner that stretches around the school gym and through the school’s entranceway.
The school may be the first in Canada and the U.S. to achieve such a goal. In a video message to the school at the assembly, author Diana Beresford-Kroeger shared that she wasn’t aware of any other schools who have planted six trees for every student and staff member and that she hopes other schools will follow in their footsteps.
