KINGWOOD — In celebration of Arbor Day, After School Explorers will be planting one dozen fruit trees.
Arbor Day will be on Friday, April 30. After School Explorers tree plantings will go on during the week across the county.
The significance of Arbor Day is much like Earth Day — it’s a day to appreciate and celebrate nature. To celebrate Arbor Day traditionally, individuals and some communities host a cleanup program to correlate with the planting of trees and various plants to help ring in spring.
The first Arbor Day celebration was April 10, 1872, in Nebraska. The Arbor Day Foundation plants and distributes more than 10 million trees each year.
After School Explorers will be providing apple, pear and apricot trees to five Preston County schools: Bruceton School, Central Preston Middle School, Preston High School for the Botanical Garden, Rowlesburg School and Terra Alta/East Preston School.
Explorers and ASE staff will be involved in a great opportunity to expand school garden programs and help address food insecurity issues. The trees create opportunities for teachers and classrooms to engage in the care of the Earth. The fruit trees will provide food and nourishment that will be utilized in the schools.
Bob Sypolt will be joining Preston High students with a presentation about planting trees in the Botanical Garden. Preston High Explorers will assist with the planting of four trees. After School Explorers look forward to this venture to invest in the schools.
Funding for this 21st Century Community Learning Center is provided wholly or in part by a grant from the United States Department of Education under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title IV Part B, with grant administration carried out by the West Virginia Department of Education.
To find out more about After School Explorers, follow ASE on Facebook. For more information on the project, contact Brittany Reed at Brittany.firstname.lastname@example.org or call 304-329-0400, ext. 150.