Arbor Day 2025: Morton Arboretum helps students plant trees at Ted Lenart Regional Gifted Center in West Chatham, Chicago
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO (WLS) — Some students in the city’s West Chatham neighborhood rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on assignment on Friday.

The Morton Arboretum teamed up with students at Ted Lenart Regional Gifted Center to celebrate Arbor Day.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

With soil and shovels in hand, students planted 15 trees on their campus.

“I really like nature. So, being out here and being able to plant trees is a fun experience, and I get come back and see how they look years after,” said seventh-grader Janae Burnett.

Students even found a few worms along the way.

“For me, it’s been really fun and entertaining to help the little kids learn more about the environment,” said seventh-grader Leah Smith.

The school got in touch with the Morton Arboretum to come by on Arbor Day.

Their task was to add a little bit more green to the outside of their school.

Kim Smolen, an English teacher who has a green thumb, believes it was important to have students of all ages involved.

“I want them to understand that small things can have a big impact,” Smolen said. “They learn how to be become garden stewards, especially for Chicago kids who might not have the chance to garden in their own backyard.”

Members of the Morton Arboretum were present to guide students as they planted but also remind them of the role trees play in our environment.

“Trees have a lot of benefits, especially in cities. They can reduce urban heat. They can cool by shading and by bringing water into the atmosphere, and they can help reduce flooding,” said Morton Arboreum Chicago Region Trees Initiative Director Zach Wirtz.

Organizers of the event say they hope this gives students a deeper appreciation of the environment and promote being good stewards of our planet.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Parents crashing honeymoons becomes bizarre new travel trend

Unexpected Trend: Parents Tagging Along on Honeymoon Trips

Traditionally, a honeymoon serves as a unique getaway for newlyweds to relax…
New interim Chicago Public Schools CEO Dr. Macquline King speaks in first 2 weeks on the job on $736 million CPS budget shortfall

Chicago Public Schools’ New Interim CEO Dr. Macquline King Addresses $736 Million Budget Deficit in Her First Two Weeks

CHICAGO (WLS) — Dr. Macquline King, with a history as a former…
'I couldn't stay silent anymore'

‘I Had to Speak Up’

Actor Derek Dixon from “The Oval” has stepped forward after filing a…
Photo of a teenage girl and a woman.

Brave 17-year-old dies rescuing his entire family from a van that fell off a cliff into dangerous floodwaters.

A BRAVE teenager saved her entire family after their van plunged off…
Father and son drown in Lake Michigan during weekend family boating trip tragedy

Tragic Accident: Father and Son Drown in Lake Michigan During Family Boating Trip

A father and his son drowned in Lake Michigan over the weekend…
Alan Dershowitz Drops Bombshells, Says There Is in Fact an Epstein Client List—and He Knows Who's on It

Alan Dershowitz Reveals Shocking News: Confirms the Existence of an Epstein Client List and Claims to Know Who’s Included

Many observers were left dissatisfied with the conclusions, as the department had…
Reckoning: Lisa Murkowski Censured Again by Alaska Republicans

Lisa Murkowski’s New Book Faces a Storm of Criticism in Reviews

This is too funny.  I’ve critiqued Princess Lisa Murkowski plenty, as have…
Driver arrested after attempting to drive through fence at US military base: authorities

Authorities Detain Driver for Trying to Break Through Fence at US Military Base

Officials in Virginia said an unauthorized individual attempted to enter Joint Base…
Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the English Channel.

Russia’s Sole Ailing Aircraft Carrier, Once Struggling Through the Channel, Set to Be Retired

VLADIMIR Putin’s only rustbucket aircraft carrier that struggled through the Channel is…
New Hampshire judge to pause Trump's birthright citizenship order

New Hampshire Judge Halts Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Directive

A federal judge in New Hampshire announced on Thursday that he will…
George Mason University faces investigation in Trump administration's anti-DEI crackdown

George Mason University Under Investigation Amidst Trump Administration’s Crackdown on DEI

WASHINGTON (AP) — On Thursday, the Trump administration initiated a civil rights…
New York ABSOLUTELY should ban masked 'protests'

New York Should Certainly Prohibit Masked ‘Protests’

Masked protestors took to the city streets, targeting Jewish neighborhoods, and voiced…