Joliet donates tree to Edna Keith Elementary School for Arbor Day festivities

Joliet — Edna Keth Elementary School hosted this year’s annual Joliet Arbor Day celebration by planting a new tree in front of the school.

Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy attended the event, along with City Council members Jan Hallums Quillman and Pat Mudron, and members of the city’s Tree Advisory Board.

D’Arcy read an official Arbor Day proclamation, and Edna Keith kindergarten students recited a poem before the school’s winners of the city’s annual student Arbor Day poster contest were announced.

Fifth grader Eian McMillan took first place in the poster contest, followed by third grader Ja’Mya McMurtry in second place and second grader Nestor Tinoco Rodriguez in third place.

Fourth grader Annabelle Cordova and fifth grader Jackson Hollister also were recognized as honorable mentions.

The students were recognized at the Joliet City Council meeting earlier in April.

Students from the school, located at 400 4th Ave., then were able to assist the city officials, school Principal Laticha Walton, and Joliet Public Schools District 86 Deputy Superintendent Tanisha Cannon and Assistant Superintendent Judie Nash in planting a young summer elixir elm tree in front of the building.

The city donated the tree as well as a new book for the school’s library, along with Midwest crabapple tree saplings for each of the 72 kindergarten students to take home and plant.

“We were pleased to be selected to host the city’s Arbor Day event,” Walton said. “The students were thrilled to be part of the celebration.”

The city of Joliet was recognized as a “Tree City USA” community for the 34th consecutive year by the National Arbor Day Foundation.