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GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Students at schools in Grosse Pointe Woods showcased their artistic talents and knowledge of the important role played by trees in their entries in the city’s 46th annual Arbor Day poster contest.
During a meeting June 3, winning entries from third graders at each of the schools in the Woods — University Liggett School, Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic School, Ferry Elementary School, Mason Elementary School and Monteith Elementary School — were honored publicly as city leaders and family members looked on.
Woods Mayor Arthur Bryant said they were there “to recognize some wonderful artwork.”
The winners were Anya Bony, of Monteith; Rosalie Nichols, of Ferry; Gwyneth Gwinnell, of Star; Kayden Wise, of ULS; and Lilla Albright, of Mason.
“It is a magical night here in Grosse Pointe Woods,” Community Tree Commission Chair Paul Lechner said. “We have our version of the Met Gala here. We are recognizing the fine artists in Grosse Pointe Woods.”
City officials also admired the student artwork.
“These are beautiful trees,” City Councilwoman Vicki Granger told the students. “And the plan is for (the posters) to go in the calendar.”
The Woods publishes a city calendar each year, so the 2025 edition will feature the 2024 winners.
Lechner said the fact that the Woods is marking its 46th year as a Tree City USA — a designation that must be earned from the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation — is “a testament to the leadership in this community.”
New Tree Commission member Kate Colborn — who took the seat occupied by her late husband, Ted Colborn — continued her husband’s tradition of presenting each of the winners with a proof version of a quarter that features the image of a child planting a seedling. Ted Colborn died Sept. 30, 2023, at the age of 83. The Tree Commission conducts the poster contest and other activities that encourage and foster the city’s canopy, including a memorial tree dedication.
