Dozens of Valley students taking ownership of their campus by helping beautify playgrounds

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- From the pot to the park students are making homes for 12 southern live oak trees. They are also learning a thing or two about the world around them.

"I learned that the tree needs roots and it needs soil and it also needs water," said Tyson Castenada, Slater Elementary kindergartner.

The trees they help plant will one day become large shade trees on the playground. They will lower temperatures, reduce energy use, and clean the air by absorbing pollutants.

Once those trees are established the school will take down the neighboring trees that are coming to the end of their life.

"That's all a part of the lesson. There's a life cycle and I think it's good for students to learn and observe it," said Lee Ayres, Tree Fresno CEO.

Tree Fresno is leading the project and it is all possible thanks to funding from the California Climate Change: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Initiative.

Each classroom at Slater Elementary is also assigned to a specific tree they can call their own.

"We thought it would just help with the ownership process of, you know, we're planting some new trees and we want them to be taken care of," said Kelli Wilkins, Slater Elementary Principal.

Slater Elementary isn't the only school that's participating. They are one of 10 in Fresno Unified.