Bethel Park celebrates Arbor Day with help from young friends

Today’s kindergartners represent tomorrow’s Class of 2035.

On Arbor Day that year, plans call for certain Bethel Park students who by then will be high school seniors to have their photograph taken with a particular tree.

For Arbor Day 2022, Abraham Lincoln Elementary School kindergartners participated in a planting and maintenance project at nearby Millennium Park, with one of the trees was dedicated to the students. They dutifully posed next to it in a scene to be repeated when they are on the verge of adulthood.

“They’re going to get to see how the trees that they helped take care of and worked with are going to grow as the years go on,” kindergarten teacher Liz Maidman said. “They can have respect for and pride in something that’s where they live, in a place where they frequent.”

The youngsters joined adult volunteers for an event that is part of the municipality’s application to receive designation in the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program.

“They recognize communities that decided to put a concerted effort into protecting and enhancing the trees,” Bethel Park Shade Tree Commission member Brian Tarbert said.

He noted that the April 29 Arbor Day celebration represented a first for Bethel Park, and he had plenty of compliments for those who assisted in activities that included mulching, primarily handled by the children, and planting flowers along with trees.

“The kindergarten kids are wonderful. It’s always great to have that kind of energy,” he said. “And the people from the community who came out and showed an interest in helping us are greatly appreciated.”

Among the volunteers were members of the Rotary Club of Upper St Clair-Bethel Park (Breakfast), which provided funding for the project. Also participating were staff members and officials from the municipality and school district.

For kindergarten teacher Megan Corella, the students’ trip to Millennium Park represented a continuation of lessons on “how important it is to take care of the earth.”

“I think it’s great,” she said. “It’s hands-on. It gets them out into the community with something they’ll be able to come back and see for years to come.”

For more information about Tree City USA, visit www.arborday.org/programs/treecityusa.