Courtesy photo

Abigail Kadel shares a tree with fourth graders.

CASSTOWN — The Miami East-MVCTC FFA Chapter recently donated trees to every fourth grader in the Miami East Local School District. This was a special project of the FFA’s Environmental Committee. Members are Martin Desautels, Abigail Kadel, Devin Nix, Logan Phillips, and Kyle Vernon. The trees were distributed in the classrooms of Mrs. Kathryn Irick, Miss Anna Lauterbach, Mr. Matt Roth and Mrs. Laura Weddle.

In an effort to help repopulate Ohio with trees, each student was given one pine tree in the hopes that they would plant it. FFA members realize that farmers and ranchers provide food and habitat for 75 percent of the nation’s wildlife. Not only will the trees provide cover for wildlife in the area, they will also produce quality oxygen.

All students were challenged to plant their trees in celebration of Earthy Day. Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on Thursday, April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

The trees were a project with the Miami County Soil and Water Conservation District.