LPS Sustainability is proud to announce that Robinson Elementary School, Southeast High School, and Holmes Elementary School all received Tree Campus K-12 recognition for the 2024-25 school year! They join Northeast High School and Kahoa Elementary School as the only schools in the district to earn this distinction through the Arbor Day Foundation to date.

To earn Tree Campus K-12 recognition, each school met four goals:

Tree Campus Logo
  • Maintain a Tree Campus team dedicated to achieving recognition
  • Create an education plan that connects students to trees and their global benefits
  • Offer a hands-on experience that engages students with trees and the community
  • Hold an Arbor Day observance to celebrate trees within the school or the community

Tree Campus K-12 recognition can be earned in a variety of ways. The three schools that received the recognition — Robinson, Southeast, and Holmes — all took different approaches to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to tree-based learning. 

Robinson Elementary went the route of planting trees in their community. Fourth and fifth grade classes worked with community volunteers to plant 50 trees in Lincoln’s Waterford Park to commemorate Arbor Day 2025. In addition to the planting day, students at Robinson participated in a variety of tree-related activities, including playing the Park Masters board game and learning about the history of Arbor Day. 

At Southeast High School, students planted trees on school grounds to bring more greenery to the campus. The effort was lead by Clio Baird, the Vice President of LSE Key Club, who, along with other club members, fundraised for the four trees planted around the campus. This entirely student-led effort demonstrates their strong commitment to the environment and sustainability. 

Holmes Elementary was the first to earn their Tree Campus Recognition almost entirely within the classroom. Their sustainability club, the Prickly Planet Protectors, watched the documentary “Beyond Trees,” identified tree species across their campus, toured the Arbor Day Farm on a field trip, and created tree poems and artwork. Holmes staff also created tree-focused lessons and slides for each grade level. Their enthusiastic participation in these activities earned them Tree Campus Recognition!

Tree planting and classroom campaigns are just some of many hands-on experiences schools can carry out in their pursuit of Tree Campus K-12 recognition. For more information, visit the Arbor Day Foundation’s website or reach out to the Sustainability Team.

A group of students planting a small tree outside of their school
Students at Southeast planting a tree
student shovels dirt in order to plant a tree at Robinson Elementary
Tree planting at Robinson
Students in a classroom raise their hands to answer questions about trees
Students at Holmes participate in a tree presentation
Six Robinson students planning tree plantings using maps
Robinson students planning their tree planting
Group of students hold pieces of paper up to an Evergreen tree in order to get bark rubbings
Students at Holmes making bark rubbings for future art projects
Two volunteers hand a sapling of a tree to two parents
Volunteers distribute trees at Robinson's tree planting
Group of students touring the greenhouse of the Arbor Day Farms
Students at Holmes taking a tour of the Arbor Day Farms
Student dump wheelbarrow full of mulch onto newly planted tree
Students at Robinson dumping mulch on a newly planted tree

Congratulations to Robinson Elementary, Southeast High School, and Holmes Elementary on achieving this exciting honor!