MMCRU First Graders Celebrate Arbor Day with a Special Tree and an Even More Special Story
On a cold and cloudy Arbor Day, a group of MMCRU first graders bundled up and headed outside—not just to plant a tree, but to plant a memory that will grow right alongside them.
Waiting for them near the school was Trent Rupp, standing by a freshly dug hole and a young crab apple tree. But this wasn’t just a tree planting—it was the continuation of a tradition.
Years ago, when Trent was in third grade, his teacher, Mr. Rick Collins, took the class out to plant a tree in honor of Arbor Day. The tree planted that day when Trent was in third grade grew tall and beautiful over the years, until it had to be removed during the recent school expansion.
Now, years later, Trent came back to give the next generation of students a tree of their own.
Before putting the tree in the ground, Trent shared the story behind the day. He explained to the students that Arbor Day started in Nebraska City, Nebraska, and while it isn’t celebrated on the same date every year, it’s usually observed on the last Friday in April.
Then he asked the students, “What do trees do for us?”
The chilly air didn’t stop eager hands from shooting up.
“They give us oxygen!”
“They clean the air!”
“They’re homes for animals!”
And with a smile, Doug Dreckman chimed in, “They give you leaves you gotta pick up.”
The laughs came quickly, but so did more lessons. Trent explained that trees also help regulate temperature, provide moisture in places like rainforests, and bring beauty to the world. He gave a short but solid how-to on planting: dig the hole wider than the tree’s root ball, trim any tangled roots, and then place the tree in gently and with care.
After the tree was planted, each student took turns scooping a little dirt back into the hole, helping to settle the tree into its new home. It was a small but meaningful moment, where they could each contribute to the future of the tree, just as they would help take care of it in the years to come.
The students’ teachers, Ashton Connelly and Melissa Vander Laan, were proud to see their class not only learn how to plant a tree but also understand the history and significance behind Arbor Day and the tradition they were now a part of.
Trent told the students that this crab apple tree, which will someday bloom with pink buds and white flowers, is their tree—the Class of 2036’s tree. He encouraged them to take care of it and watch it grow, and suggested that, perhaps on graduation day, they would return and take photos next to it, proud of how far both they and the tree had come.
As the class gathered around the newly planted tree, a new tradition took root—one that connects the past with the future, and reminds us all that even on a gray day, something beautiful can begin to grow.