Eco Warriors tree project will bolster Watkins Memorial High School campus in Pataskala
PATASKALA – A group of Watkins Memorial students is taking action now to improve the ecosystem around the new high school and surrounding campus for the future.
The Eco Warriors are raising funds to plant 56 trees along U.S. 40 and in both directions of Warrior Way next month, grouping them with shrubs and other pollinators, and they will also go down Smoke Road. Following that, in coming years, there will be restoration of wetlands on the property, and an outdoor classroom space will be created.
In November, Watkins Memorial High School selected six individuals to represent the school at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s Teen Eco Summit. There, methods were discussed that could aid in restoring the natural wildlife surrounding the Watkins campus, as it was destroyed when the school was built in 2021.
They decided that planting trees was the most effective way to broaden the ecosystem, reduce carbon emissions, create a sound barrier protecting from passing cars between the school and U.S. 40 and give an overall more pleasing look to the campus.
"The students have done a lot of work, collaborating with the district's architectural firm (Garmann Miller), the Columbus Zoo's Eco Summit, the Ohio Natural Resources Department, the 1,500 Tree Project, the district and the school board," teacher Paula Ball said. "Through the process, their project has evolved, as they have learned more how best to implement it. They have all of their plans done, and the next step is to have support from the community and local businesses to make their dream a reality."
Ball said the different phases will take multiple years to implement.
"Still, the students are dedicated to creating a solid foundation for the group so that the project will continue long after they graduate from high school," she said. "As a teacher, I could not be prouder of their dedication to the environment, the district and the community and the growth I have seen in their leadership skills throughout the project. As suburban development continues to reshape our community, the ecological balance is often overlooked."
Junior Waylon Weese said, "As we're experiencing population expansion, a lot of ecosystems are being destroyed."
Donations are being accepted until May 1 through links on the project's website, www.wmhsecosummit.com, and May 8 will be planting day. Trees will be planted 20 feet from the road, and each tree will be planted 25 feet apart. Garmann Miller will prepare the soil and dig the holes for the trees.
"We have already received $1,050 in seed money from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium," junior Sarah Downing said.
Added junior Madelyn Light: "Earth Day (April 22) will be our first possibility of really getting the word out."
The six students involved come from a variety of backgrounds.
Weese will major in computer science and engineering, while Downing is vice president of the local chapter of the National FFA Organization. Junior Laura Selfinger plays Warrior rugby, while sophomore Alli Langwasser plays on Watkins' state powerhouse softball team and Sabina Sinchuri is in the band.
"We're all so different, but we're united in a common goal," Downing said. "I am excited to be a part of this project because conservation has always been important to me. I believe if you give back to the environment, it will provide for you. I want to be an environmental engineer, and this is the first step."
Observed Langwasser: "I really think it is important to restore and preserve what we have been given, especially life here on earth. This project is so small, but yet so big, I’m excited to raise awareness and attract more to the field of conservation, to build a healthier and sustainable future."
Light has always loved being outside, and some of her fondest memories are of she and her dad hiking.
"So 'leave no trace' was engrained in me pretty early," she said. "I am so excited to have the opportunity to voice my opinions and help make our school more sustainable for the future."
Sinchuri said helping has always been a passion of hers, whether it be moving stuff for someone or providing a home for wildlife.
"Earth has given us so much, and I also want to give back by helping to conserve," she said. "We hope that this project will create a better place for future generations."
Weese is incorporating his technological expertise into the project and is firmly focused on its effects further down the road.
"What’s more important: problems in the present day that we could change with a few adjustments in our daily lives or preventing problems in the future that will be irreversible by the time we get there?" he said. "I believe while creating a green future may seem like a 'big project' and that our difference may seem minuscule, every single person contributing to the effort counts."
In addition to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and Garmann Miller, the Eco Warriors have partnered with 1,500 Trees for Life, which aims to plant 1,500 healthy, native trees in public spaces throughout Licking County for the next five years. It was started by First Presbyterian Church of Granville.
Light said plans are being made to memorialize those who contribute to the project, through bricks on a wall along the front entrance to Watkins Memorial High School.
There are different levels of donations. Tier 1 ($100 or under) will receive a certificate of donation, while Tier 2 (over $100) will receive a custom engraved 4-by-8 brick. Tier 3 (over $200) will receive either a 4-by-8 or 8-by-8 brick, Tier 4 (over $350) will receive either a 4-by-8, 8-by-8 or 12-by-12 brick, and Tier 5 (over $500) will receive either one of the bricks, or four 12-by-12 bricks.
A final ceremony is slated for May 18 at the high school, and the students stressed that this is only the beginning.
"This is something the community needs," Downing said. "And we are literally laying down the roots here."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Eco Warriors tree project to bolster Pataskala Watkins Memorial campus
