Willow Springs sixth-graders promote aluminum cans recycling

The students of Willow Springs Elementary celebrated Earth Day by giving the school a gift that will be around for a long time — they planted a tree.

A plaque in the cement near the tree will commemorate the event for future generations by crediting the sixth-grade graduating class of 2012 for making it happen.

"We need to think of a good way to remind ourselves that we don’t inherit the world from our parents, we borrow it from our children," said Mark Besendorfer, the sixth-grade teacher who came up with the idea for the tree planting at the April 20 event.

The students raised about $150 to purchase the tree by collecting and recycling aluminum cans.

"We did a little mathematics to show how much energy we saved, and the kids learned a lot about how important it is to conserve and recycle," Besendorfer said. "We hope this may start a tradition."

Besendorfer said taking into account that aluminum cans are worth 60 cents a pound, the students needed to recycle 375 pounds of aluminum — about 9,000 cans — to pay for the cost of the tree and its planting. They estimated their aluminum-gathering project saved 2,850 kilowatts of energy which, according to the calculations of Besendorfer’s class, could power a 100-watt bulb for 62?1/2 days.

One of Besendorfer’s students, MaLeek Mellor, is the son of Jim and NaKole Mellor, who own Mellco Landscaping in Draper. The company provided the tree and covered extra costs, such as labor, to plant it.

"It’s been really good to help out with the kids, and I think it’s taught them what recycling is all about," said NaKole Mellor.

Besendorfer wanted to emulate a senior-class gift and decided a tree would be a lasting contribution of 2012’s sixth-grade class.

He said if the tree does well, the kids can come back and maybe read a book in its shade some summer day, or drive by with their children in the future and say, "That’s the tree we planted."