Students Plant Trees, Learn About Nutrition and the Environment

The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) and the Stretch Island Fruit Company brought their mission to the Denver School of Science and Technology and Kepner Middle School in Denver at the end of June this summer. The program, with the help of students and teachers, planted 75 fruit trees and shrubs between the schools including apple, plum, cherry, peach, pear and apricot varieties. Students, along with a teacher, participated in a curriculum that included lessons on the environment, how to plant and care for trees and nutritional information.

The students will now use their newly planted orchard as an outdoor classroom to learn about botany, ecology and nutrition. The orchard will also be an ongoing lesson in environmental sustainability. The students also have the opportunity to harvest and eat the fruits of their labors.

The program’s goal is to plant fruit trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities and improve the surrounding air, soil and water.

Stretch Island and FTPF have held events across the country including in Hawaii and Boston. Along with students and community members, they have planted almost 650 trees. These plantings have resulted in 90,675 pounds of oxygen and the ability to offset around 114,855 pounds of carbon dioxide from the school grounds each year.