Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (HW-SC) students at Walker Mill Middle School (WWMS) in Prince George’s County, Maryland paid tribute to three deceased fellow classmates, one of whom was a HW-SC family member, by conceiving and completing a community service learning project in April.

To implement their goal of planting three trees in their classmates honor at the school, the students created and forwarded a letter explaining the idea to a local Lowe’s Home Improvement store. The purpose of the letter was to seek advisement and support from Lowe’s. Lowe’s response to the students’ needs was amazing. Lowe’s agreed to send its gardening staff to WMMS to co-facilitate an enrichment class on planting and caring for trees. Additionally, it provided the trees, tools, soil, and other resources at no cost to HW-SC.

HW-SC students were completely involved in the whole tree planting process. They learned the intricate details of how to remove a tree from one environment to another, including how to ensure proper adjustment in the process.

Members of the University of Maryland College Park Scholars-Public Leaders Students Philanthropy Class were on hand to observe the tree dedication ceremony and other enrichment activities. A WMMS staff member closed the ceremony with a speech dedicating the trees in memory of the beloved students. The staff at Lowe’s Home Improvement acknowledged the success of the event at a staff meeting the following day. According to Lowe’s staff, out of all the schools with which they had formerly interacted, WMMS students were the most well-behaved and engaged that they had ever witnessed.