Students, staff plant 100 trees to celebrate Emerson Elementary centennial

By KPHO KTVK Staff

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    PHOENIX (KPHO) — Students and teachers at Emerson Elementary School celebrated the school’s 100th anniversary in a unique way by going green and planting 100 trees and various plants to mark the historic event.

Along with the Arizona Sustainability Alliance, guests enjoyed the outdoor fair on Sunday morning with music, food, and of course, gardening. The event also featured a health fair, where students are encouraged to pursue healthcare careers.

Students planted different kinds of desert-adapted plants, including desert willows, Chilean mesquite, and more. Emerson’s principal, Nick Lodato, says the event teaches kids about community service and allows alumni to partake in the cause.

“Community service is, in part, what we’re about. Bringing people together from the community. As you look around, you see families, kids, teachers, staff from really the last 30, 40 years; there are alumni all over the place who are reconnecting after years and years. And that’s really fun to be a part of,” said Lodato.

Among the alumni was Perla Rodriguez, who now has two daughters who attend Emerson. Rodriguez says it’s a special feeling knowing her girls go to the same school she went to. “I always tell them stories of what I did here. They like hearing all the stories, and a lot of the teachers are still here, so it’s a good feeling,” said Rodriguez.

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