Pearson Middle School celebrates Arbor Day

WINSTED — Students from the fifth, sixth and seventh grades helped to landscape a new bench area in front of Pearson School on Friday, April 29. The students planted flowers around the bench to create a garden in celebration of Arbor Day. Art Lehne, director of food services at Pearson, organized the effort.“Just looking at this area in front of the school, when you drive by it you can tell that it needed some help,” Lehne said. “This is also about students taking pride in their school surroundings and showing others what can be done.”Peter Hayward from Hayward Farms in New Hartford helped with the landscaping process, donated mulch and did the grading. Student advisor Julie Prignano participated along with students Duane Blische, Tyler Akerley, Alexis Kacmarcik, Ryan Weiss, Meghan Gagnon and Meghan Mallette.