It all starts with a seedling. When kids dig in the dirt, make room for a tree, water and then gently tamp down the soil, they’re investing their energy in the future. Now, one project hopes that investment—with some tender loving care and solid science—will inspire young planters to feel connected to the land around them.
That project is “Trees for the 21st Century,” a successful pilot program by nonprofit ERTHNXT [1]. The program provides an easy-to-use tree-planting and education toolkit, with science-based service learning activities, designed for adults working with groups of kids ages 6 to 18. With its inaugural partner, the Girl Scouts, the group introduced 30,000 elementary, middle and high school children in 47 states to the fun—and science—of planting and caring for trees.
Trees for the 21st Century is poised to expand. Through a new partnership, the nonprofit America’s Promise Alliance [2] will promote this program to schools and youth organizations, offering Trees for the 21st Century to a whole new audience of kids nationwide.
To empower today’s tech-savvy kids as stewards of the environment, the program also proposes to create an interactive online platform. With a personalized and interactive website that invites kids to log the number of trees planted, trade stories about their experiences, track tree growth and display an electronic tree badge, this expansion would provide the tools kids use everyday, engaging them and their friends in a new online community.
From seedlings to software, Trees for the 21st Century—and every kid who benefits—needs your support. Make a donation. Tell your local youth club or school to join us. Help us spread the word.
