22 Nov 2005
$15,000 Environmental Grant Will Help Schools Develop Community Action Projects
DALLAS—Dallas Independent School District students will welcome the Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell to Rosemont Primary School-Chris V. Semos Campus for the presentation of a $15,000 grant from Project Learning Tree at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 30. at 1919 Stevens Forest Dr.
Project Learning Tree, sponsor of the grant program, will award grants for programs that engage students in hands-on environmental learning, including urban forestry and schoolyard habitat.
"My family, my trees, and my music are the most important elements of my life," Leavell says. "Now that I am about to become a grandfather for the first time, I want to put my passions about forestry into words for the next generation. I've always said that we don't inherit the land from our parents – we borrow it from our children."
Leavell, who is an accomplished conservationist and tree farmer, is teaming with the initiative to encourage students and schools to develop environmental community action projects to bring classroom learning to life.
Leavell will read to students from his book, The Tree Farmer, and will talk about conservation and tree farming. He also will perform a few favorites from his long-lasting music career with the Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton and others. Soon afterward, Leavell, students and teachers will go outside and join an urban forester from the Texas Forestry Association in planting a tree on the school grounds.