West Fork club hopes to help environment by planting trees within its own community
Posted on Tuesday, June 5, 2007
WEST FORK - Having already established a partnership with the city park board to do cleanups at Riverside Park, the Students Taking All Responsibility (STAR ) Club at West Fork Middle School will now take on a new project.
The club is taking orders to plant new trees within the community for an $ 8 donation, said Matt Pledger, club sponsor and school science teacher. He said he has been actively making some inquiries to get trees donated or sold to the club below cost.
The trees would be planted at locations in West Fork or given to the donors, who could plant the trees themselves.
At a year-end meeting for the club, Pledger encouraged the students to promote the new initiative with people they know. The trees would be planted in the fall, and the recipient would get a certificate.
"Eight dollars is nothing to have your very own tree," Pledger said.
Pledger started the STAR Club this year for fifth-grade students. Next year, it will be opened to fifth- and sixthgraders.
Much of the club's emphasis is on community service projects and environmentally friendly initiatives. The students spend some time picking up trash at school and oversee a recycling program.
Pledger indicated the tree planting program could be a step toward West Fork earning Tree City USA recognition. He reviewed the steps to earning Tree City status with the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Pledger, who has multiple recycling bins in his own classroom, encouraged students to think about ideas for other projects beyond recycling.
"We're all about going out and making a difference," student Katie Griffin said.
The current club T-shirt is green with the slogan "Remember to Recycle"on the back and another logo on the front. The front logo includes a circle with a tree illustration and triangles around the circle, which helps make it look like a star.
The club meets about every two weeks, and the cleanups at Riverside Park have been held once a month since they started.
"I like the idea of recycling and reusing," student Colton Peacock said.
"I think it's just fun saving the environment," said Preston Davis, another student.
Davis said one of the more interesting items he found while cleaning the school grounds was a "half-broken golf club."
"I found a broken Game Boy," Peacock said.
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