Brewster Kindergarteners Plant Trees for Arbor Day

“I love planting little trees,” a kindergartener said, squinting in the sunshine. She and her classmates stood in a field behind Brewster High School, hands covered in dirt after planting their very own spruce tree seedlings.

Thanks to the School Seedling Program from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the efforts of Brewster schools’ Director of Facilities Glen Freyer every in-person kindergartener at JFK Elementary School planted their own tree in celebration of Arbor Day.

“The reason we’re here is we are celebrating Arbor Day,” Freyer told students after walking them across campus to the planting site. “Arbor Day is all about taking care of the Earth. Trees help take pollutants out of the air and can help take care of our water. Plus, they’re pretty nice to look at.”

Students lined up in front of pre-dug holes and were each given a tree.

“Your tree has two parts,” Freyer told them. “The part that will be above the ground and the part that will be below.”

He prompted them to put the roots in the hole and then cover them up with dirt, making sure to keep the top of the tree out in the sunshine. This seemingly small task was a great big adventure.

“Look at my mountain of dirt!” one student exclaimed.

“I saw a worm in there!” another shouted with excitement.

“I have to wash my hands really good,” another said with a laugh.

Teachers were on hand to help, reminding students to pat the dirt down around the roots and asking follow-up questions to their observations.

“Do you remember what worms do?” Sara Chiasson asked her students.

The trees will remain in the field where students planted them — with little wooden stakes declaring the name of the student who put them there — for three to four years. At that point, they will be taller and will be moved around the property.

Students and teachers alike thoroughly enjoyed the activity, smiling and laughing under their masks.

“During a year that’s been so unpredictable, it is nice to be able to do something that feels normal,” Allison Scelia said on the walk back to JFK.