Maple Grove Senior High Students Plant a Living Legacy

As this year's 12th grade class of 2011 prepares for their next stage in life after graduation, some students are also working to leave their mark at .

Past senior classes at the school have participated in the “Leave a Legacy” project. But this year, the project became optional for students. That’s when three Foundations classes decided to leave behind a living reminder of their Crimson pride.  

“Planting a couple trees seemed like a great idea, kind of a double whammy," Maple Grove Senior High senior Abby Clark said. "It would help beautify our school and help the environment."

Students donated enough money to buy three autumn blaze maple trees, which will have bright red leaves in the fall. Foundations and English teacher Paul Wardell, who has experience planting hundreds of trees, says the autumn blaze maple are his favorite.  

“These are some of the most beautiful trees, they have just an amazing color,” Wardell said.

Foundations and Spanish teacher Alissa Figarella says it was exciting to watch the students get behind the project, plan it and raise the money. In addition to supporting the project, several seniors from each of the three Foundations classes stayed after school Wednesday, May 18 to plant the trees in front of the high school.

“It’s something hopefully people will remember us by, that our class did this. I take pride in our school and it feels good to be leaving it a little better than we when we started here,” senior Marissa Allen said.

“I’m so proud of these students," Wardell of the seniors. "I hope they realize they are making a difference here and I hope they will take that with them into the next phase of their lives.”