Grosse Pointe Woods Arbor Day poster contest winners draw inspiration from nature

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Grosse Pointe Woods takes its trees seriously.

This year marks the city’s 47th as a Tree City USA — a designation that must be earned from the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation. As part of that designation, city leaders recently honored children from local schools for their award-winning Arbor Day posters in a contest that the Woods holds annually.

During a June 2 City Council meeting, members of the Community Tree Commission presented officials with the Tree City USA flag and introduced this year’s poster contest winners.

The winners were Elsie Kettel, of Mason; Ava Dehn, of University Liggett; Alex Janis, of Ferry; David Staperfenne, of Our Lady Star of the Sea; and Francesca Weidenbach, of Monteith. One winner is chosen from among the third-grade participants in each school in the Woods.

“I’ve always thought that it’s important,” Tree Commission Vice Chair Laura Gaskin said after the meeting of the poster contest. “The kids are learning about Arbor Day. They’re learning about what trees do for the planet. … It’s a science lesson.”

Winning students receive a commemorative T-shirt and a special proof version of a quarter that shows a child planting a seedling. Tree Commission member Ted Colborn started the quarter tradition a number of years ago. After his death Sept. 30, 2023 at the age of 83, his widow, Kate Colborn, joined the Tree Commission and began handing the coins to the poster contest winners when they were recognized at the council meeting.

“We’re continuing Ted’s legacy by having his partner, Kate, presenting these memorial coins to our students,” Community Tree Commission Chair Paul Lechner said.

Lechner said after the meeting that commission members visit the schools to talk to classes about trees and what they do for the planet.

“One of the most important aspects and missions of our commission is to educate our community about trees and to build and maintain our tree canopy,” Lechner said. “The kids get excited about the poster contest.”

Each year around Earth Day, Lechner said the third graders in Woods schools are given a seedling to plant. This year, it was an Eastern white pine. Commission members say the kids are thrilled to get the tiny trees and watch them grow.

“Historically, the Arbor Day poster contest is one of the most important things to this city because we are a Tree City USA,” Mayor Arthur Bryant said after the meeting.

During an April 7 City Council meeting, the council unanimously approved a proclamation recognizing Arbor Day on April 25 as part of the consent agenda. The proclamation reads, in part, that trees “are a vital component of the infrastructure in our city, providing infinite environmental and economical benefits, as well as bringing beauty and nature into our daily lives.”