Mt. Prospect Kindergartners Plant Trees For Future Generations

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Kindergarten students at Mount Prospect helped to plant five Japanese Cherry Blossom trees at the school last week.

"We are adopting these trees to be your trees for the rest of your lives," Mount Prospect School Principal Joanne Hozeny said at the ceremony. "When you are 20 you can come back and see your trees."

The five trees were donated from OISCA (the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement-International) along with the Bernards Township Shade Tree Commission.

"These trees will make us beautiful, give us oxygen and give us shade," Hozeny said.

OISCA has donated trees in 35 countries and visited more than 4,500 schools world-wide. A total of 7 million trees have been planted because of this organization.

Four kindergarten classes participated in the event and each threw a cup full of soil into the hole to help plant the trees.

"I would like to thank OSICA organization, the shade tree commission, the staff at Mount Prospect School and the families for the donation of these five beautiful trees which the children of Mount Prospect and their families will enjoy for a very long time," Mayor Carol Bianchi said.

(Photos by Alexis Tarrazi)

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.