Meadoview School students celebrate Arbor Day in Grayslake with tree planting

Meadowview Elementary School students joined Grayslake Park District employees Friday to celebrate Arbor Day by planting three white oak trees and one eastern hophornbeam in Meadowview Woods Park next to the school.

Students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade took turns participating in the ceremony. They listened to a tree-themed story inside the school before walking to the park.

Grayslake Park District Executive Director Jeff Nehila talked about the best way to plant and care for the trees. Nehila said the students can gain ownership and civic pride by participating in community events like Friday's.

"We love getting the kids involved at all levels so they can learn about stewardship and actually maintaining open space. And it gives them ownership, because the years down the road they'll be able to come back to this tree and tell their kids that they helped plant the tree," he said.

Students also sang a song and some kids helped shovel dirt into the holes.