STUCO Plants Trees

BY: EDITOR JENNIFER NGUYEN

    At eight in the morning, o Saturday, May 5, the East Middle School Student Council could be found no where but at Missouri Southern State University, learning the process of planting trees.  They were attending an event that had been planned and marked in their schedules for months...an event that would benefit to the rebirth of Joplin, especially its trees!
    This event was organized by Missouri Southern and Crowder FBLA and PBL leaders.  At the opening ceremony, which was held in the MSSU Legett and Platt Center, speeches were made by FBLA and PBL representatives, Dr. Bruce Speck, and Dr. C. J. Huff. A video was shown to educated volunteers on the proper way to plant trees, and many thanks was given to the handful of people in the "green shirts" (volunteers) that came to help with the charitable event.
   Concluding the ceremony, volunteers split into groups and received plenty of water, plus a packet assigning the groups homes to plant the trees at.  The STUCO split into three with chaperons Mr. Biggers, Ms. Smith, and Mr. Walser.
   After tons of digging, patting, and watering, the volunteers were served a delicious lunch at the Forest Park Baptist Church.  Thanks to the many volunteers that day, ten percent of the trees that Joplin lost during the tornado were replenished!  Eighth grade student council member, Megan Hickey, even commented saying, "I was glad that the dry, brown hills would soon be lush and green again."

STUCO Members that Attended the Event

Amy Koch, Megan Hickey, Shelby Welton, Jimmy Willerton, Tyler Viles, Ethan Holz, Amy Walser, Annie Le, Bridget Ingham, Emma Willerton, Anna Nguyen, Jake Yarnell, Sam Ingram, and Jennifer Nguyen.