STURBRIDGE - One tossed handful of soil at a time, high school students planted a “scholar tree” in a show of class unity.
The tree, planted by Tantasqua High School’s Class of 2010, took root at a ceremony held Friday, April 30 that doubled as an Arbor Day commemoration. The event also kicked off what will become a new tradition for graduating students.
“One day this little tree, like all of us, will branch out towards the sky,” said senior class member Marissa Loughran during the dedication.
Her words echoed ones engraved in the plaque (designed and crafted by students) that will mark the tree. The entire quote is: “We are a family, like a giant tree branching out towards the sky.”
Senior class members Rico Balderelli and Alia Hashem also spoke and were involved in planning the event. Student Sam Stagias also assisted, but was not present for the ceremony.
A banner marking Sturbridge’s 20th consecutive year as a “Tree City USA” award winner was unfurled behind the tree and students as they spoke.
The banner faced senior class members as they sat beneath the sun listening to their fellow students and a member of the Tree Warden’s Advisory, Joe Kowalski, as well as town Tree Warden Thomas Chamberland.
Chamberland noted the event came together through efforts between the school, town and local tree service companies.
It started with students in Roberta Dunn’s “Dynamics in Democracy” class.
Dunn, who is retiring this year, had a similar tradition at her high school, where students would plant a tree on the grounds. She noted her class tree is still standing. Chamberland said the high school also had a similar program, but it stopped around 15 years ago.
He said those trees were taken down during the school’s reconstruction. With last week’s planting the tradition begins anew and the tree chosen couldn’t have been a better one, Kowalski said.
The “scholar tree,” also known as a pagoda, has been known in China for 2,500 years, being planted at institutions of higher learning, courthouses and Buddhist Temples – hence it’s name.
Kowalski advised the students in the weeks leading up to the ceremony to help them pick a tree, plan the ceremony and teach them what it would take to care for the tree in its first few years.
Chamberland left students with a call to volunteerism. “Don’t be afraid to dig in and get your hands dirty to do something good for your community,” he said.