Local RE/MAX Associate Broker, Teddie Sue Mooday, supports the Fourth Grade Foresters of New Mexico Tree Project; and nurtures a growing connection between replanting our forests and inspiring 4^th graders to care about their community.

Fourth Grade Foresters was kicked off in 2006, and was created to revitalize the celebration of Arbor Day.

Thanks to 2,591 sponsors, more than 604,600 trees have been distributed to fourth graders in 6,800 schools across the country.

“I found out about Fourth Grade Foresters through RE/MAX because they are a Corporate Sponsor.” Mooday said. “I have a fourth grade son and thought this would be a wonderful way to help our local environment that has been so devastated by forest fires.”

Label from a sapling provided by Teddie Sue Mooday, and packaged by people with disabilities, for shipping to Mountain Elementary 4th Graders. Courtesty Photo

“Fourth Grade Foresters is a great program and their goal is to have every fourth grader in the country planting trees to teach them about the environment. The extra bonus is that people with disabilities are hired to gently package the saplings for shipping to the schools,.” Mooday said  So this project not only inspires fourth graders to care about their environment, but provides jobs for people with disabilities.” 

Mooday’s son, Jack, is a 4^th grader at Los Alamos’ Mountain Elementary School. Mooday knew the class was learning about plants and that they were scheduled to take a field trip to the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) around Arbor Day.

Mooday contacted Mountain Elementary Principal, Jennifer Guy, explained the Tree Project and that she wanted to provide saplings for all the 4^th graders at Mountain Elementary.

They agreed the timing was great. 

“We are extremely grateful for the generous donation of saplings for our fourth grade students. Mrs. Mooday is very kind to do this for our students. They were all so excited to have the trees and are planting them to make our town a little more beautiful.” Guy said.

Mountain Elementary student, Jack Mooday, is a Fourth Grade Forester and prepares to plant the sapling sponsored by his mom, Teddie Sue Mooday. Courtesy Photo

“I was just thrilled that the kids were excited about the saplings,” Mooday said. “It’s a fun and easy way to help them learn to care about their home and environment. And, planting these trees could have a very positive impact on our area by improving the land and the value of our homes. The more we preserve our home, the better for all of us!”

Mooday is very proud to be a chief sponsor of the Fourth Grade Foresters Tree Project. RE/MAX owner/broker Kendra Henning also was excited about Mooday’s plans to sponsor the effort.

“Teddie Sue is a very involved parent to her four children as well as an outstanding Realtor and loyal Los Alamos resident. This is a perfect event for her to sponsor as it teaches kids about environmental stewardship, and improves the appearance of our community at the same time.” Henning said.

Members of a 4th grade class proudly display their sponsored and ready-to-be-planted saplings packaged by people with disabilities. Screenshot/www.fourthgradeforestersusa.com

Mountain Elementary 4^th grader, Megan Crawford, also participates in The Tree Project by planting and watering her sapling, provided by Teddie Sue Mooday.  Photo by KayLinda Crawford

The Fourth Grade Foresters Tree Project has four major goals:

• To revitalize observation of Arbor Day in America’s schools on official Arbor Day proclaimed in their own state;
• To send every fourth grader home with a tree of their own to plant and care for;
• To support employment of workers with disabilities. Each tree is individually packaged for distribution by workers with disabilities; and
• To bring schools, private individuals, businesses and organizations together to have a direct and positive impact on the urban forests of their communities.

Photo from www.fourthgradeforestersusa.com

In 1885, a national group of educators urged observation of Arbor Day in the nation’s schools on the official Arbor Day of their own State.

School observations grew by leaps and bounds. Over the years, millions of children received and planted millions of seedlings, millions of seedlings that grew into millions of mature trees.

Together, those trees make up a unique forest. A forest planted by generations of America’s children. 

Somehow, the School Arbor Day tradition began to fade away and now only relatively few kids get a tree to take home and plant on their State’s Arbor Day. It’s time to reverse the decline! 

Now in the era of global warming and air pollution, tree planting is even more important than ever. Trees take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to help reduce warming and help clean the air we breathe. Planting trees is a simple, inexpensive and easy way to address the problem.