VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A group of elementary students in Virginia Beach is helping with flooding and beautifying the community, in between lessons.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department is leading the charge through a grant.
Planting takes practice, but fourth-graders at Rosemont Elementary School are quickly becoming experts, one tree at a time.
“I love trees,” said fourth-grader Kennadi Miles.
On Tuesday, Kennadi Miles and her classmates took turns trying out their green thumbs.
“We are planting trees to show everyone that the planet needs to be more healthy and we need more oxygen,” Miles said.
The tree activity is more than a library lesson.
“I am thinking about what the tree can help and give our earth,” said fourth-grade student Jermaine Jones.
It’s the piece of a bigger puzzle for the city of Virginia Beach. The Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Department recently got a grant to plant trees and educate the community from the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Operations Coordinator Symsi Denson said this will help with flooding and increasing tree coverage by 2034.
“Virginia Beach has a goal, city council said we want 45% of tree canopy,” Denson said.
Students weren’t afraid to get their hands messy. By the end of the week, the schoolyard will have three newly planted tulip poplars.
“I always tell them they are stewards of the environment when I start this for fourth grade and that they are our hope for the future,” said Rosemont Elementary Librarian Jeannette Reynolds.
Many students like Kennadi are already taking their new green lessons beyond the classroom.
“I actually recently started picking up trash and I’ve always wanted to recycle so I started recycling,” Miles said.
Officials with the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Department hope their citywide tree-planting mission catches on with more schools and organizations in the area. They encourage community leaders to reach out!