Burch students turn paper into trees with help from local nursery

Burch

students turn paper into trees with help from local nursery

Instead of

turning trees into paper, environmentally conscious students at Robert

J. Burch Elementary have found a way to turn paper into trees.

Last year the

school's ecology club, with the help of second- through fifth-grade students

in the after school program, started a recycling drive to collect all

of the white paper and newspaper in the school throughout the year. The

students recycled approximately 65,000 pounds of paper and earned $252

for the school. The club used the money to purchase two new recycling

containers as well as two trees to be planted in remembrance of Sept.

11.

Club sponsor

Donna Baena says she had planned to purchase two dogwood trees but when

she arrived at Andy's II Nursery in Fayetteville to pick them up, nursery

worker Forrest Cate suggested the Autumn Blaze Maple trees because they

would grow larger and have a prettier color for the fall.

"They

were going to cost more than what we had to spend, but Mr. Cate said he

would take care of the difference," said Baena.

Once she got

the trees