Going green, one tree at a time

Oceanside High School senior Chris Williams remembers when he realized the importance of being environmentally friendly. It was during his sophomore year, during World Outreach Week, when he learned about hunger crises and a lack of clean drinking water in different parts of the world.

"Once you start talking about the environment, it ignites a passion in you," Williams said. "It's a trend that's caught on in Oceanside."

Williams, a member of the school's recycling club, was one of many students who took that trend a step further when he participated in the district's 2nd annual "Saving the Earth, School by School" initiative, a series of events and activities that promoted environmental awareness in the days leading up to Earth Day on April 22.

Students in each of the district's schools took part in environmental programs that encouraged earth-friendly behavior and help participants evaluate the environmental impact of their activities at school and in their every day lives. For instance, students participated in "recycle a water bottle day," "reduce electricity day" and "wear green day" among other activities. The initiative culminated in the district's Save The Earth Celebration on Earth Day, which included student presentations and performances.

Senior Glenn Bornstein, the Recycling Club's secretary, said students had worked for months on the programs.

"We started back in December when we scheduled a mini-summit," Bornstein said. "Each member of the Recycling Committee coordinated with student councils in each of the elementary schools and gave each school an issue to focus on."

For example, Bornstein said, the high school focused on obtaining more recycling bins through bagel sales and other initiatives. The series of events was capped off with a tree-planting ceremony at Schoolhouse Green, along the adjacent rear wall of Wild by Nature. Over 100 students were on hand for a ceremony at the gazebo, and went on to plant nine leyland cypress trees, which can grow 30 to 40-feet within 10 years, explained Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Bob Fenter.

"This kind of finishes the line," Fenter said, referring to the 12 trees students planted last year along the wall. "These kids feel so great about it and they're working to make a difference."

Senior Casey English, the Recycling Club's secretary, echoed those sentiments when she said: "Planting trees is not only good for the environment, it's also symbolic."