news paper article
Kellogg students protest to keep tree
April 23, 2010 @ 12:00 AM
CHRISTIAN
The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON -- Fearing a 20-foot pin oak tree would be chopped down to make way for a new playground, a group of kindergartners and fifth-graders at Kellogg Elementary School in Huntington formed a human chain around the tree on Wednesday to try to save it.
The protest worked, at least temporarily, and now the school is hosting a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 27, to hear the concerns of students, teachers and parents regarding the tree. The school is located at 4415 Piedmont Road in Huntington.
Kellogg Principal Eugenia Damron said the whole thing started when a group of students heard the tree was going to be cut down.
A fifth-grade teacher told the students that they could begin a petition and seek signatures. Fifth-grader Ashtan Frasher started the petition and got 145 names from students and teachers in less than two days, according to her mother, Terri Frasher.
Frasher said her daughter wanted to keep the tree because the kids like to play by it and enjoy looking at the birds and butterflies it attracts. Her daughter has always been interested in preserving nature and animals, Frasher said, but this is the first time she took a stand.
Frasher said her daughter gave the principal the petition on Wednesday. Damron said she addressed the concerns of the students at lunchtime. Students who wanted the tree to remain explained their reasons on a microphone in front of their peers. After each student spoke, Damron said she explained why the tree needed to be cut and thanked them for their input.
Damron said while she was impressed with the petition, she did not express that to the children. Instead, Damron said she asked the children in the cafeteria if they were willing to give up part of their playground for the tree. Damron said the majority of the kids wanted the playground.
After lunch, a group of students formed a human chain around the tree. They chanted "Don't cut down the tree" and "Save the tree," Damron said. By the end of the class period, the students stopped the demonstration and went to their next class.
Damron said the school has held more than 50 meetings over the last year regarding the playground, and typically few people show up. Kids and parents have had many opportunities to attend the meetings and speak about it with school administration, she said.
Damron said students also had the opportunity to help plant more than 40 trees at the school two weeks ago.
"I feel that the 40-plus trees we planted makes up for the one we're taking out," Damron said.
Frasher said she and her daughter were not given notice about the tree plantings. If the students were told, Frasher said kids would have helped in the effort.
After three break-ins at the school in the past two months, Damron said American Electric Power decided to donate six large lights, poles and the time it takes to install them. The tree, Damron said, is blocking the area that one of the lights will illuminate.
Damron said she hopes the playground and adjacent track will be used as a community center. The light will shine on the playground area and school, enabling families to go to the playground at night, she said.
The way the plans are now, Damron said the light cannot be moved. An AEP representative will be on hand during the Tuesday meeting to discuss relocating the light position.
Damron said the school raised $170,000 for the playground equipment, fitness equipment that will surround the track, and gravel for the running surface. The playground will feature swings, slides, a zip line, a sensory wall for disabled children and a three-tiered main playpiece.
Damron said she's looking for volunteers to help install the equipment on May 10
I feel great care of how we deal with youth is a necessity as they will be the future for certain. Saying that I need to go hug my grand babies:monkey:
