A lot of people know that High Point University has an ice cream truck and a movie theater – but they might not be aware that it also has an annual Arbor Day initiative to help make the world a little greener.
This week, the university – working with the City of High Point – donated and planted trees at Southwest Guilford High School. The university’s Arboretum and Botanical Gardens team – yes, the school has one of those too – joined Southwest Guilford students and High Point city workers to plant the trees on Friday, April 29 – which also happened to be Arbor Day.
Actually, it wasn’t a coincidence at all.
The university team worked with Southwest Guilford High School AP Science Teacher Mike Mode to plan out the best spots for the new additions.
Mode said on Friday that the university and the city had been “very generous with both their time and resources” when it came to the school, which now has a dozen new trees on its campus.
Students in Mode’s genetics class helped prepare the ground for the trees.
Jasmin Golden, a high school junior, said that the experience was really pleasant and added that the trees planted Friday would reap other benefits as well.
“I was excited when I found out we’d be planting trees with HPU,” Golden said, adding, “When I found out we were specifically planting fruit trees, I was excited because it’s a way to help people in need – and it’s also sustainable. Participating in this event is a way to give back to the school, too.”
High Point University brought peach, apricot, pear, plum and persimmon trees, as well as other trees, to plant at various spots on the school campus,.
For some people and institutions, Arbor Day each year comes and goes and they don’t even know it. However, at High Point University, something like this is done every year when the day rolls around.
Arbor Day is dedicated to “tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees.”
Patrick Moore, High Point University’s gardens coordinator, said the annual event has a very important purpose: to teach the up and comping generation about trees and plants.
Moore said High Point University’s Arboretum and Botanical Gardens team connects with a local community organization every year to donate and plant trees in honor of Arbor Day.
“This year, we partnered with the city of High Point to donate two redbud, two dogwood, three oak, and five fruit trees to Southwest Guilford,” he said.
He added that community outreach is an important part of the mission of the arboretum team at High Point University.
“It is important for HPU to help spread the awareness and importance of trees with our community, especially with our young adults,” he said.
