A red oak tree will stand tall at Parkway Elementary for years to come, thanks in part to the school’s third graders.
Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer, VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson Jr. and others joined students April 24 to celebrate Arbor Day and the tree’s planting.
Third grader Marquia King said it’s important to celebrate and care for trees.
“It’s fun to explore lots of trees because they are good for the world.”
Earlier in the school year, Virginia Beach Master Gardener tree stewards visited third grade classrooms after an invitation from teacher Chrissy Sommer.
Tree stewards promote environmentally sound and sustainable practices. They work with the city’s arborist team to protect trees and answer questions from the community about the best locations for new trees.
Sommer said students “were excited and so curious.” Their lessons were tied into their study of ecosystems, plant lifecycles and environmental stewardship.
They also chose which tree would be planted in the front of their school. From a list of six trees provided by city arborists, the third graders voted to select the red oak primarily because their school colors are red and black. The black gum tree came in second.
Students could barely sit still in the school cafeteria as they awaited the kickoff celebration.
City Arborist Ashe Obenaus announced that the city has planted about 1,800 new trees this year. “Trees provide enormous benefits to the earth,” he said.
He introduced Mayor Dyer, who congratulated students for helping to keep the city “vibrant, green and growing.”
The mayor read a proclamation celebrating the 154th anniversary of Arbor Day and the city’s 46th year receiving a Tree City USA designation.
Heather Gargano from the Virginia Department of Forestry explained that Tree City USA inspires communities to prioritize the planting and caring for trees. She asked the third graders, “What does a tree say that’s having a bad day?”
Her answer — “Leaf me alone!” — received quite a few laughs.
Perhaps the biggest round of applause came when Smokey Bear from the U.S. Forest Service and Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation’s “Barks” mascot were introduced.
The mascots led everyone outside for the new tree’s ceremonial planting. Afterward, students poured small cups of compost around the tree.
The compost came from the school’s compost bin. Marquia explained that the school doesn’t waste food.
“When people don’t eat their food, it goes in a bin and is mixed up to make the soil healthy,” she said. “It gives it good nutrients.”
Students regularly place the compost in the school’s outdoor herb and butterfly garden.
Sommer said students have benefited from the hands-on, real-world experiences caring for plants and trees. They are excited about learning because “they have ownership in it,” she noted.
The red oak tree was funded by the Virginia Beach Beautification Commission. Member Kay Slover Eckhardt called the tree-planting “a partnership with nature and humanity.”
Students are taking responsibility for the future, she said.
Mayor Dyer commended the commission, school and other participants, including the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Beach Council of Garden Clubs, tree stewards and Bee City USA, an organization committed to conserving native pollinators.
“We celebrate the cooperation between public, private and civic organizations to make Virginia Beach a beautiful place to live,” he said.
As if planned, a heavy downpour watered the tree less than a half hour after the ceremony,
Principal Dr. Katie Catania described the students’ experience as “impactful and inspiring.”
