“This great trunk, these stalwart limbs, these beautiful branches, these gracefully bending boughs, these gorgeous flowers, this flashing foliage and ripening fruit, purpling in the autumnal haze are only living materials organized in the laboratory of Nature’s mysteries out of rain, sunlight, dews, and earth.”—J. Sterling Morton
Arbor Day, an international holiday founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872, celebrates and honors Earth’s existing trees and promotes the planting of new ones. Although Arbor Day began in Nebraska City, Nebraska, it is now celebrated all over the world—including Lincoln Park Elementary in Sparks, Nevada!
When a Sierra Nevada Journeys instructor arrived at Lincoln Park Elementary for after-school program with a big box of art supplies, the group of fifth graders stared at the box with curiosity and bit of skepticism. “What are we going to do with all that?” one girl asked.
Once settled in the classroom, the instructor asked the group who had heard of Arbor Day, and was answered with a show of enthusiastic hands. After a thought-provoking discussion about the importance of trees, the students were told about a very special opportunity—an Arbor Day Poster Contest for exclusively fifth grade students! There were only a few important guidelines: the posters could not contain any computer or photo-generated images, the poster had to include, and relate to, the 2010 Arbor Day theme, “Trees are Terrific… and Energy Wise,” and the student had to sign his or her name at the bottom. Details about the contest can be found at http://www.arborday.org/kids/postercontest/index.cfm.
Keeping these specifications in mind, along with themes and ideas that emerged from the discussion, students set to work drafting their ideas and experimenting with a variety of artistic media.
The Lincoln Parkers were thrilled to open up unused packages of pastels and professional watercolors, and learn how to apply, blend, and coordinate the various shades. One particular student with rainbow-colored fingertips, who was new to the after-school program, exclaimed to his group members, “This class is actually pretty fun!” Everyone seemed to agree.
After two days allotted to working on their projects, the students generated some beautiful posters. Not only were they artistically creative and colorful, but they captured the essence of Arbor Day and the importance of our too often overlooked leafy neighbors.
The next step will be to mail the stack of posters to Nevada’s Contest Coordinator to share with the Arbor Day Foundation some of the tremendous creativity coming out of Reno, Nevada!
