On Friday, April 18th, Grier students traded in their pencils for shovels for the school-wide Earth Day celebration. Working at five locations across central Pennsylvania, students planted 470 trees and removed countless invasive plants in just two hours of community service.
Mrs. Brubaker explained the importance of doing volunteer work for Earth Day. “There is often a disconnect between humans and nature, especially in this day and age,” said Mrs. Brubaker, Grier’s Recycling and Sustainable Sisters supervisor as well as Environmental Science teacher. “It’s so important for everyone, especially young people, to experience nature and realize that we are part of it.”
Each location was a unique experience. At Fort Roberdeau, students joined “Weed Warriors” to plant over 200 trees in the riparian zone, the area beside rivers and other bodies of water. In Tipton, behind the Northern Blair County Rec Center, students removed invasive plants and planted 150 trees. Shaver’s Creek participants planted 50 trees and focused on removing invasive privet, with a bonus visit to the Raptor Center to meet local wildlife. Near Canoe Creek State Park, seniors planted 70 trees in a forest damaged by invasive insects. At NatureWorks Park in Hollidaysburg, students helped establish a new Tea and Healing Garden for the community.
“We remove invasive plants that aren’t part of the natural ecosystem,” explained Mrs. Brubaker. “Then we plant native trees and bushes that contribute to the food chain and support local wildlife.”
Eighth grader Ariana Froning participated in a fishing activity where students released trout. “Earth Day meant a lot to us because we got to connect with nature through releasing the fish,” Froning shared. “It was really fun and a very good learning experience.”
Sophomore Aysu Asgarova planted ten trees despite her crippling fear of ticks. “First you dig a hole with the shovel, then you take a root and make sure it’s deep enough,” she explained. “After placing the tree, you press the soil with your foot. Then you install protective housing with a wooden stake hammered into the ground, so your tree can grow properly.” Despite her concerns, Aysu said the activity was surprisingly fun!
Mrs. Brubaker highlighted that environmental consciousness can always be improved–for individuals and the wider community alike. “Grier girls are fairly eco-conscious, but there is always work to do on ourselves,” she said. One of Mrs. Brubaker’s goals through Sustainable Sisters is to help students improve their sustainability habits beyond recycling. “Things like choosing to thrift over fast fashion, taking shorter showers, and going reusable instead of throw away. All these little steps add up.”
“Ecosystems all over central Pennsylvania have been improved, increasing their resilience against changing climate,” Mrs. Brubaker said. “I am so incredibly proud of the work we did in only 2 hours. We can do so much when we work together!”
All students returned to campus with dirt covered hands and a greener heart!
