In celebration of Earth Month and in partnership with the Ecology Action Center, Community’s FFA chapter surpassed its fundraising goal this spring, collecting $615—enough to plant 123 trees across Bloomington-Normal.

The drive, held March 31 through April 4 at a booth in the atrium, supports a long-term initiative to reduce the area’s carbon footprint through reforestation. 

The effort aligns with the Ecology Action Center’s goal of planting 10,000 trees across the community over the next decade.

The school’s involvement in the initiative began in 2021, when FFA sought ways to re-engage students in outdoor activities following COVID-19 disruptions. 

Agriculture teacher Mrs. Liz Harris said the group found a natural partner in the Ecology Action Center. 

“We were trying to find more things that we could do outside,” Harris said. “We noticed that the Ecology Action Center had a goal…so we kind of joined in.”

Since that initial effort, Harris said, Community’s FFA has raised enough funds to plant more than 600 trees. Many of the trees are placed strategically in areas with limited green cover.

“A lot of times it’s not just about aesthetics,” Harris said. “It’s about reducing heat and improving air quality.”

Harris emphasized the scale of the environmental challenge. 

“I actually did this math the other day for our population,” Harris said, calculating that Bloomington-Normal would need 80,000 additional trees to meet the area’s carbon-offset and oxygen production needs.

Beyond the enrvironmental impact, the project has grown into a hands-on service opportunity for FFA students. 

“It sometimes becomes a family event,” Harris said, with students often volunteering to plant trees alongside parents and siblings.

The initiative, Harris said, also serves as a bridge between student groups like FFA and the Environmental Club, fostering meaningful collaboration.

“Anytime we can build connections,” Harris said, “that create a greater understanding about our environment…, I think that’s something really valuable.”