On Friday, April 27th at 1:00, the Miscoe Hill Student Council and the students and staff of Henry P. Clough School conducted our annual Arbor Day program on the front playground at Clough School. The Arbor Day program has been a special inter-school tradition since 1989. There have been more than one hundred trees planted at the schools and throughout town that beautify Mendon every April. The late Mrs. Orise Tetreault initiated the annual tradition when she requested that the schools have a program similar to the one at her Albeeville School on Millville Street many years ago.
The program began with a parade of flags with students from each homeroom holding their classroom flags. The Miscoe Hill Band, under the direction of Mr. Michael Morel, played "America the Beautiful" to accompany the entrance march, followed by the national anthem. I was asked to give the welcoming address. Student Council members read Arbor Day poems, narrations and words of remembrance in honor of the nine people for whom the trees are being planted for.
Clough School donated a tree in memory of Chico Claro. Miscoe Hill is planting a tree in memory of former students, Jack Street and Chris DiLorenzo; also Gary Lipscomb, Georgia McFadden, Anthony Petti Jr., and dear relatives of the Mittleman, Villarroel, and Wlazlak-Portev families.
On behalf of my staff and students as well as the families who were honored during this heartfelt ceremony, I would like to thank the student council advisors, Mrs. Heather McCourt and Mr. Michael Eagan, Mr. Fred Oldfield, Program Assistant, Mr. Mike Morel , band director and Mr. Dick Grady for all his support and guidance.
The Student Council members did an amazing job organizing this special event. It was not only a pleasure but an honor to be part of the Arbor Day Ceremony.
