CHS celebrates Earth Day 2021

April 22 was Earth Day 2021, and the students in Evelyn Hankins' advanced science classes at Chester High School elected to work around the school property to help improve the environment.

"Students from my Advanced Placement Biology Class, Biology II Class, and Astronomy Class teamed up to work around the school grounds for the biggest part of two days," Hankins said. Altogether, 29 students were working at various times.

"I am very proud of my students for choosing to help improve the environment around our school property," she added.

Hankins and Carolyn Kish, both science teachers, are co-sponsors of the CHS Environmental Science Club. Last year the club started a recycling program at CHS to help eliminate plastic being thrown away and put in landfills.

This year, students weeded flower beds, planted flowers in the planter box in front of the school, worked in the garden by the football side of the original school building, planted bulbs which will appear next spring, and deadheaded perennials that were bedded last year.

In addition, the students mulched existing flower beds, picked up trash around the property, raked and cleaned flower beds, and started a compost pile with the clippings and leaves, etc., that were cleaned out of the various locations at school.

"The kids enjoyed working outdoors and took pride in everything that they did," Hankins added. "They even stated that they would like to do even more next year during Earth Day activities."

Hankins thanked the Chester Walmart for donating the bulbs that were planted in the CHS beds, and the CHS Maintenance Department for picking up the mulch used in the flower beds. She is also grateful for the mulch itself, which was donated by Mary Ann and Robert Heberlie and their Chester mulch business.