Arbor Day Trees Planted at Cooper Elementary

About 100 students at Cooper Elementary School observed the Arbor Day Celebration Friday (March 20) sponsored by the Town of Clayton.



Activities included the Town of Clayton receiving its third Tree City USA award, Mayor Jody McLeod proclaiming March 20 as Arbor Day in Clayton and the 1st grade Global Studies class at Cooper Elementary School helped plant several trees.




The trees, two magnolias and two redbuds, were planted on a hill between Camel Street and the parking lot at Cooper.


Arbor Day, which means simply “Tree Day,” was the idea of J. Sterling Morton. In 1872, Morton helped start a new holiday in Nebraska dedicated to tree planting. It is estimated that more than one million trees were planted on the first Arbor Day. Morton's idea quickly spread and today Arbor Day is celebrated in all 50 states and in many other countries. Actual dates of the event differ for each area depending on planting times. North Carolina celebrates Arbor Day on the first Friday following the 15th of March, which this year was March 20.

For more information about Arbor Day, visit www.arborday.org.