Trees – and Students –Take Root at Simley High School

A half-dozen incoming freshmen at Simley High School decided to do something different for a final class project – something locally meaningful that would last for decades, while enhancing their school and community.

Their creativity and persistent efforts blossomed into a group of Japanese Lilac trees that were planted at Simley High School in honor of the school’s 50th anniversary, according to Rep. Joe Atkins.

Working with local businesses and the school board, the students “organized the effort and raised the funds needed to purchase and plant five trees, one for each decade,” said Atkins. “As far as I know, the students did it essentially on their own, with little adult involvement.”

Four of the five trees were planted near the school's front
entrance on July 5.

Ben Scheffley, Megan Steffes, Tiarra Johnson, Brady Lane, Paul Wagner and Katie Atkins, daughter of Rep. Joe Atkins, planned and carried out this endeavor to conclude their eighth grade year in Emilie Hamilton’s reading class at Inver Grove Heights Middle School.

“We got involved through our reading class in our last trimester, so it was a final project,” explained Scheffley. “We wanted to do a charity project, and a lot of other kids were doing things for soup kitchens and [collecting] donations for breast cancer [research]…”

“Some were sending care packages to soldiers, or volunteering
at animal hospitals,” added Megan Steffes.

But this particular group of students knew they “wanted to do something local” for their community.

“We started brainstorming for ideas to give back to our school,” said Steffes. 

According to the rising ninth graders, Katie’s dad helped them come up with the tree planting project idea.

Planning the entire project – including the fundraiser – and
accomplishing it lasted about three months, according to Scheffley.

“It was a lot harder than it seemed at first,” he said. “It was more than just calling people. Gerten’s helped, the [Inver Grove Heights] School Board, and a lot of others.”

Steffes said the students raised money by taking donations at
B52’s Burgers and Brew and holding a drawing for Old World Pizza gift cards.

“We got a discount on the trees from Gerten’s. Wagner’s Sod
dug the holes for us, and Gerten’s delivered and planted the trees,” she said.

The trees – and the students – will spend the next few years growing together at the high school.

“It feels good to give back to the school, [with something] other than money,” said Scheffley. “It will be cool to see the trees every time we come back, for the next four years.”