Years from now, when students at Williams Elementary School are resting under the trees surrounding their playground, they can thank a current group of students for the comfort of the shade.

More than thirty fifth-grade students from Melinda Craine’s math/science class spent most of the school year on what they called ‘Project Shade,’ an effort to plant some much-needed shade trees on campus. The idea was born on the first day of school when students came back into their classroom from a very warm playground.

“I didn’t want to go to recess any more,” said student Lauren Calton. “It was too hot.”

To get their project off the ground, the students began writing letters to businesses and other organizations seeking donations and applying for grants to buy the trees and materials. Their efforts paid off when the Florida Farm Bureau provided an $800 grant for the project--$300 more than the students had requested. The City of Gainesville also got involved, donating additional trees and expertise to the project.

“It really came together so nicely,” said Craine. “The students asked for help, and people really stepped up and in some cases gave us more than we asked for.”

Craine said community involvement was critical to the success of the project. One volunteer helped the students plan and install an irrigation system. Others came in to advise the students on the correct way to plant the trees and how to maintain them. Throughout the process, students were honing their math, science and language arts skills.

“This was a great way to put those skills together and actually see how they can use them rather than just reading from a textbook,” said Craine.

“This way you can actually relate to what you’re learning,” said Lauren. “You think ‘Oh, I actually did that,’ so you learn more.”

The students also learned important lessons about protecting the earth’s natural resources.

“Just one little tree makes a big difference in the environment,” said fifth-grader Zachary Bennett.

The students are already reaping the rewards of their efforts. Just a few weeks ago they were treated to an all-expenses paid trip to Disney World after winning the 2006 Jiminy Cricket Environmentality Challenge, an award sponsored by Disney and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to honor outstanding environmental education projects. The project was also recognized recently with a Beautification Award from the City of Gainesville.

Although it will be years before the trees reach full maturity, the students say it makes them happy to think of the future generations of students who will be enjoying the trees they planted—even if they won’t be there to see it. Fifth-grader Joshua Brownstein likes to share a story he heard in which an old man who was planting a tree was asked by another man why he was going to the trouble when he would not get the fruit from it.

“The old man replies, “People planted trees for me so I’m planting trees for people after me,’” said Joshua.  “When we’re gone, these trees will still be helping the environment, they’ll still be cleaning the air, and birds will still be resting in them.”