Earth Day, here we come: CHS students beautify campus

Earth Day 2022 is still a month away, but Chester High School science classes are already getting the campus ready for the first schoolwide Earth Day celebration April 22.

For the second year in a row, CHS science teachers Evelyn Hankins and Carolyn Kish had their various science classes work on numerous beautification projects around the campus of CHS.

"Even though Earth Day is not until Friday April 22, we took advantage of the wonderful spring weather Monday, March 21, to begin various beautification projects around campus as a preparation for Earth Day 2022," Hankins said.

Students in both Hankins' and Kish's classes spent their Monday class periods in the wonderful outdoors working on the beautification projects.

"Today we cleaned all of the garden beds on campus and did a lot of mulching. We weeded beds and deadheaded plants and bushes and mulched to prevent weeds from growing. Our goal is to plant fresh flowers and do some transplanting once the weather stabilizes a bit," Hankins said.

"Camrynn Howie actually ran a garden tiller through the newer gardens in front of the Science Department windows and her Biology II co-workers, Reese McCormick, Chase Gilbert and Freddie Alvarez, tended to the mulching and prep work for planting, which will come a bit later."

In the morning shift, Korbin Jany and Aden Runge from the chemistry class manned the mulching truck, keeping all of the workers supplied with fresh mulch.

Biology II students Cristen Tucker, Megan Miller, and Jordanna Frazer worked on cleaning and prepping the large, brick raised flower bed by the sidewalk in front of the CHS administration building.

On the far side of campus in front of Colbert Gym, Madi Kribs and Emily Mehrer put the finishing touches on one of the newer flower beds that was weeded and prepped and already had new spring flowers blooming that were planted last year.

All students interviewed throughout the day said they were having a really good time and enjoyed making the campus look better. It was the first full day of spring and temperatures were in the high 60s most of the afternoon. During the morning sessions, it was still sunny and comfortable in the high 50s and low 60s.

Hankins also has plenty planned for CHS' first schoolwide Earth Day celebration Friday, April 22.

"We intend to be involved in some community cleanup and beautification projects. and on campus we will be celebrating all day with planting flowers and doing more beautification of the campus," she said.

"Furthermore, we will have time for various games, a barbecue, and other Earth Day activities to further educate and foster the overall Earth Day concepts for all students and staff at CHS."