PLANTING FOR THE PLANET Noon Exchange sponsors nature appreciation day

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Shelby Rigsby, Tawanna Pleasant, Brianna Kemper and Ranessa Merriman pick flowers for their teacher during nature appreciation day at West sponsored by McMinnville Noon Exchange. (Duane Sherrill photo)

It was okay for West Elementary students to play in the dirt recently as they were encouraged to get their hands in the soil during nature appreciation day sponsored by McMinnville Noon Exchange.

Members of the local service organization held the event for third- and fourth-graders at the school, giving students the opportunity to plant trees and flowers with their own hands while learning about plant life and its importance in the eco-system.

Heading the event was Tony Kahtz, Noon Exchange board member and research specialist with the Tennessee State University Nursery Crop Research Station.

“The nice thing about events like this is that it lets the children have fun while at the same time teaching them stewardship for their environment,” Kahtz said. “At West, all the students participating in the event were directly involved, whether it was planting flowers, putting in mulch and simply carrying supplies.”

The event included the planting of three Tulip Poplar trees, which is the state tree of Tennessee. The trees were planted inside the circle drive in front of the school. The trees and plants were donated by Mary’s Greenhouse and Guthrie Nursery while supplies were donated by Morton’s.

“Not only does it teach them about planting the trees, it also teaches them responsibility because they are also going to maintain the trees by watering them,” Kahtz said. “Years from now, they can point the trees out to their own children and tell them that they were the ones who planted those trees. That will be a source of pride which they can keep with them for more than just one afternoon.”

Along with the tree planting, other students participated in flower box planting where the students, in groups of four, planted annuals in individual flower boxes. Their planting overseen by Exchange members, the students were allowed to pick out their own arrangements and plant them in the boxes. The boxes were then placed at the entries to their classrooms where they were to be cared for by the children.

Following the event, all the children participating were given packs of seeds which they could use at home to begin their own flower gardens.

“The interest was overwhelming,” Kahtz said. “The kids really had fun, just like we did. “It was a great event and hopefully our club will be able to do more things like this in the near future at this and other schools.”