Sunshine, music, and the promise of growth filled the air on Friday, April 25, as School No. 10 ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ with a joyful outdoor ceremony that brought together students, school leaders, city officials, and community partners. The event embraced this yearโs national theme: โPlant Trees, Make a Difference.โ
More than 50 kindergartners and first graders, many dressed in bright orange shirts, gathered on the schoolโs sun-drenched front lawn to perform cheerful, tree-themed songs in a spirited guitar-led singalong with music teacher Mrs. Walton.
Their infectious enthusiasm filled the air as proud teachers, staff, and guests clapped and sang along โ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฒ๐ ๐. ๐๐๐ซ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ฌ, ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ฅ, ๐๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ค ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐. ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ค, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ.
At the center of the celebration stood a four-foot-tall Linden tree, donated by Columbia Bank, symbolically rooted on school grounds where students will watch it grow for years to come. Children eagerly took turns watering it with jugs and slow-drip irrigation bags, gaining firsthand experience in nurturing the environment.
A Proclamation Rooted in Purpose
After enjoying the student performances โ including a catchy tune referencing a โpineapple treeโ โ Mayor Armstead took the mic to read an official Arbor Day proclamation, offering a mix of humor and heartfelt reflection on the dayโs significance.
โArbor Day is more than just a day outside,โ he said. โItโs about planting trees that clean our air, protect our soil, and give wildlife a place to live. Thereโs pollution in the air, and sometimes adults act like we donโt care โ but thatโs not fair to you. Itโs our job to teach you how to care for the environment so you can protect the planet for the next generation.โ
He shared the origins of Arbor Day, which began in 1872 with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska, and reminded students how trees also boost home values, beautify communities, and provide a vital sense of peace and renewal.
A Living Lesson in Linden Pride
Principal Chris Happel welcomed guests by connecting the celebration to Lindenโs roots โ literally.
โThis is a Linden tree โ the very tree our city is named after,โ he said. โWhen itโs fully grown, itโll look like the one right behind us. Letโs see who grows faster โ you or the tree!โ
Following a student-led Pledge of Allegiance and the School No. 10 Pledge, Superintendent Perkins offered a message focused on gratitude, environmental awareness, and long-term impact.
โEven now, this tree is giving us shade,โ Dr. Perkins said. โTrees block out the sun, help cool our homes, and support wildlife. When it rains, they get watered โ and when you water them, youโre taking responsibility for something that helps the Earth. Today you are part of something that matters.โ
She added, โYears from now, when this tree is tall and wide, I hope students will be sitting under its branches โ and I hope they know it was you who helped it grow.โ
Singing, Smiles, and Soil
The celebration concluded with group photos around the newly planted Linden tree, where students stood proudly with city leaders and district officials. Inside, guests enjoyed light refreshments while students excitedly asked who was strong enough to lift the next watering jug.
One kindergartner captured the spirit of the afternoon perfectly, grinning between bites of an orange snack: โIt tastes like sunshine!โ
From music to mulch, Arbor Day at School No. 10 was a joyful reminder that even the smallest hands can help make the world a greener, better place โ one tree at a time.