community development Arbor Day Celebration Student Art & Essay Contest Winners

Student Art & Essay Contest Winners at Arbor Day at Elachee Nature Science Center on February 17. (L-R) Jynikka Robinson, Sardis Elementary; Isabelle Ayala, Myers Elementary; Vallie Williams, Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy; Mae McPeek, Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy; Star Millan, Riverbend Elementary; Banks Evans, Sardis Elementary; Esther Gomez, McEver Arts Academy. Coordinated by the Greater Hall Chamber and sponsored by the Hall County Master Gardeners, Keep Hall Beautiful and Georgia Power, festivities included student contest recognition and a joint City of Gainesville/Hall County proclamation with Tree City USA recognition.

The Greater Hall Chamber's Annual Arbor Day Celebration on February 17 at Elachee Nature Science Center was sponsored by the Hall County Master Gardeners, Keep Hall Beautiful and Georgia Power. Festivities included the annual student art and essay contest recognition. Over 100 student entries were submitted for the “I Speak for the Trees” Art & Essay Contest. Also on the agenda is a joint city/county Tree City USA proclamation.

Arbor Day

Winning Student Essay by Jynikka Robinson, a 5th grader at Sardis Elementary.

I am Jynikka. I speak for the trees. We should not cut the trees down. Because you’re basically cutting off their legs. They provide for us. The trees are important and should have the right to live. Please don’t cut trees.

To start, trees should not be cut because they provide oxygen. They do hard work processing sunlight into oxygen. They make fresh oxygen for us to breath. We would not be living without them. We give them carbon dioxide and they give us oxygen so it’s a win-win. Cutting is killing. They should not have to suffer from your hands.

Secondly, trees should not get cut down because they provide shade for us. They have lots of leaves that block the sunlight. If you wanted to go outside and read a book in the shade then a tree would be what you’re looking for. They are one of the things that make it possible for us to sit in peace and enjoy not having sun in our eyes. Trees keep you relaxed.

Lastly, they produce fresh fruit for us to eat. If you want to eat apples, bananas, pears, oranges, coconuts, peaches and other fruits that grow on trees you would have to get it from a tree. Animals need fruits too. You need trees of you want an apple pie from McDonald's. They give us healthy, nutritious and delicious food.

Representatives from the City of Gainesville were on and for Arbor Day. (L-R) Angela Sheppard, Assistant City Manager; George Wangemann, Gainesville City Council; Myrtle Figueras, former Gainesville City Councilwoman; Denise Jordan, Gainesville City Clerk.

All in all, trees give us air, food, shade and slow global warming. They keep the earth stable. They are important to animals and humans all around the world. We should be grateful for trees and all they do. Imagine a world without trees. Approximately 42 million trees are cut down everyday and that means all rainforests will be gone by 2100. For goodness sake don’t cut trees.