Share: 

Rehoboth Beach celebrates Arbor Day

Students recognized for winning posters, plant trees with city mayor
Celebrating Arbor Day by planting a tree at Rehoboth Elementary School are (l-r) Principal Dr. Doris Person, Harrison Hayes, Mayor Stan Mills, Apple Wang and Madelyn Fischinskie. Madelyn was the Fifth-Grade Sussex County winner in the 2024 Arbor Day poster contest. ELLEN DRISCOLL PHOTOS
Ellen Driscoll
April 25, 2024

The grounds of Rehoboth Elementary bloomed with new life April 19, as students and school and community leaders gathered to celebrate Arbor Day by recognizing poster contest winners and planting new trees.

Rehoboth Beach Mayor Stan Mills presented an Arbor Day proclamation and noted the city’s 33rd consecutive year as a designated Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters.

Students were recognized for their entries in this year’s poster contest, themed “Trees are terrific … for outdoor adventures.” Winners were selected by the Rehoboth Art League and will be displayed on the windows of city hall for pedestrians to view through Tuesday, April 30.

The art league selected three fifth-graders and three fourth-graders as contest finalists, and their posters were submitted to the statewide contest, said teacher Jacqui Kisiel.

Fifth-grade poster contest finalists are Harrison Hayes, Apple Wang and Madelyn Fischinskie; Madelyn was named the fifth-grade Sussex County winner and will be recognized at a state ceremony Friday, April 26 at Abbott’s Mill Nature Center in Milford.

Fourth-grade poster contest finalists are Porter Marvin, Everly Otens and Iris Sandoval. Each group of students took part in a tree-planting ceremony with Mills.

Delaware Forest Service Education Specialist Ashley Melvin provided children with hands-on activities and educational information about the importance of trees. 

Following the presentation and tree planting, all students planted loblolly pine saplings on school grounds.

 

Shoveling the ceremonial dirt on the newly planted tree are (l-r) Principal Dr. Doris Person, Harrison Hayes, Mayor Stan Mills, Apple Wang and Madelyn Fischinskie.
Poster contest finalists in front (l-r) Madelyn Fischinskie, Harrison Hayes and Apple Wang are congratulated in back by Principal Dr. Doris Person, Mayor Stan Mills and Ashley Melvin.
Gathered at the Arbor Day celebration are in back (l-r) Sen. Russ Huxtable, D-Lewes; Janet Becker; Leah Schessel; Mayor Stan Mills; and Ashley Melvin. In front are fourth-grader poster contest finalists Porter Marvin, Everly Otens and Iris Sandoval.
Planting another tree at Rehoboth Elementary are (l-r) Everly Otens, Iris Sandoval, Mayor Stan Mills and Porter Marvin.
Rehoboth Elementary teacher Scott Pierce works with student Landon Weaver to plant a tree.
Ashley Melvin, Delaware Forest Service education specialist, talks to students about the benefits of trees.
Students planted dozens of loblolly pine saplings in the school’s wooded area by Turtle Bridge.
Fifth-graders (l-r) Zachary Timmons and Harrison Hayes, and third-grader Axel Guerrero-Quintanilla plant loblolly pine saplings on school grounds.

Most Popular

Subscribe to the CapeGazette.com Daily Newsletter

Most Popular