Foster Elementary hosts Mt. Lebanon Arbor Day celebration
Foster Elementary School fifth-graders Devin Prettyman and Jamie Durstein shovel dirt at the site of the new tree planted in honor of Arbor Day.
Foster Elementary students Amelia Duncan, Vivian McMahon and Long Nzambi say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Foster’s third-grade orchestra performed two songs during the ceremony.
Principal Jason Ramsey applauds the orchestra’s performance.
Foster Elementary students participate in the ceremonial tree planting.
If you have kids or grandkids, you probably have read “The Giving Tree” to them.
“From boyhood to his golden years, this tree selflessly gives all that it has to this little boy: its leaves, its shade, a place to hide and so many other great things,” Foster Elementary School principal Jason Ramsey said.
His school on April 29 hosted Mt. Lebanon’s annual Arbor Day celebration, during which he cited the popular children’s book published in 1964.
“Each time I read this story by Shel Silverstein, I’m reminded of Arbor Day, a day that emphasizes the importance of trees in our lives,” he said. “As we look around at our beautiful Foster grounds, we can see how much trees here make a difference in our community and add to the beauty of our school.”
The event featured a municipal proclamation by which Commissioner Steve McLean commemorated the special day, which also celebrated Mt. Lebanon’s designation as a Tree City USA community for the 10th consecutive year by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Foster students provided musical accompaniment: First- and second-graders sang two songs, “Plant a Tree” and, following the Pledge of Allegiance, “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” The third-grade orchestra performed “The French Folk Song” and closed the proceedings with “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
Several students recited poems about trees, in honor of National Poetry Month: Amelia Duncan, Vivian McMahon, London Nzambi, Brett Hamel, Parker Wilson and Brynn Murawski.
And two students from each grade level turned the dirt for the ceremonial planting of a new tree at the front of the Foster property: Ronin Amin and Isabella Hega, kindergarten; Grant Shafer and Addy Wetzel, first grade; Brandon Frameli-Metz and Bella Cafardi, second grade; John Talarico and Gracie Newman, third grade; Fred LaSota and Brookelyn Berg, fourth grade; and Devin Prettyman and Jamie Durstein, fifth grade.
Elaine Cappucci, a Mt. Lebanon School Board member whose children attended Foster Elementary, agreed with the principal about the school’s appearance.
“We’re especially fortunate to have such lovely grounds here at Foster,” she said. “Look around you, and I hope that you never take all this beautiful green space for granted.”
Volker Schmid, Foster PTA environmental chairman, explained that many of the trees at the school probably were planted shortly after it opened in 1941, and he referenced a particular one near the playground.
“I start think about what the oak tree has seen you do over the years, something like using it as home base for tag, playing soccer, maybe baseball,” he said. “I’m hoping that the tree you guys are going to plant here today will see the same things, will see you do the same things: learn in school about the environment, do all the things that you can do to protect the environment, so that about 75 years from now, somebody else – not me – will give a similar speech while looking into all of the smiling faces.”