LAWRENCE COUNTY Kids honor Arbor Day, plant trees

The trees were donated by the New Castle Shade Tree Commission.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- It took much patience, many little hands and few organized parents, but there are now 15 new trees outside Harry W. Lockley Elementary School.
Pupils in kindergarten through third grade learned about Arbor Day and then planted trees in front of the school Friday afternoon.
Each class had its own tree and markers with its teacher's names made at the Lawrence County Vocational Technical School were placed with the tree.
"We are hoping that these children will come back five years from now and say 'Wow, look at our trees,'" said Lynn Ryan, one of the program organizers from the parent teacher association.
Helping out
The New Castle Shade Tree Commission donated the Service Berry trees that line the front drive of the school building. Additional supplies such as the mulch and other items were bought with a $500 grant from the New Castle Wal-Mart store. Some of the money will be used to do more landscaping at the school, Ryan added.
Youngsters came outside around 2 p.m. to help plant the trees.
Victoria Bober's kindergarten class was most fascinated with the hole for the tree when they first came outside.
"They are excited," Bober said. "They thought we were going to make a tree, so this will help them understand more about trees."
Each took turns filling the hole with dirt as teachers held up the trees in the holes and then they placed mulch around the trees.
"This is fun," said kindergartner Anthony Johns after scooping up a big handful of mulch.
"When you plant one tree it makes a difference, but this is really going to make an impact," Ryan said.
Lockley Principal Pat George said the trees will give the children some ownership in the school as well as help the aesthetics. George said the school has more plans to beautify its grounds.