News : VS School Board hears students' recommendations for walnut issue at VSMS campus

Mrs. H-V introduces the walnut debate during the school board meeting.

VSMS students did much walnut research for the project.

Maci, Lyndsey and Abby share their proposal for replacing the walnut trees.

VSMS students studied and even ate walnuts as they pondered the tree issue.

Students measured the area around the school to determine landscaping and tree options.

Rhea, Skyler and Jamee shared their proposal for keeping the walnut trees.

Rhea, Sklyer and Jamee with the walnut wizard, which could help solve the problem at VSMS.

It’s not unusual for the Vinton-Shellsburg School Board to listen to presentations from people with differing opinions, people who offer research to support their arguments.

But it is unusual for the board to hear presentations like this from its own middle school students.

And it all began with a twisted ankle.

For the past several months, V-S Middle School students have been debating the future of the walnut trees between the school and 15th street. Principal Shelly Peterson hurt her ankle while slipping on one of the walnuts. Others have reported similar experiences, in the fall, when the seven walnut trees near the middle school shed thousands of walnuts.

Teacher Kris Howes-Vonstein (Mrs. H-V, as she is known there) involved VSMS students in the discussion. The students chose sides, with some wanting to keep the walnut trees and others wanting to cut them down and replace them with other trees.

The students prepared presentations explaining what they would do, how much it would cost, and the benefits of each proposal. They worked with Mark Pingenot of Trees Forever, which can offer some funding. They discussed the value of the walnut lumber with a representative of Big Timber.

Mrs. H-V chose three of those presentations to present to the school board.

“Our students were divided approximately 2-1 in favor of cutting down the walnut trees and replacing them,” Mrs. H-V told the board, in explaining why she chose two presentations advocating for that choice.

Lyndsey Cornell, Maci Griffith and Abby Gloede were among those suggesting the removal of six of the seven walnut trees from the campus. They would like to cut down the walnuts and replace them with red maple, dogwood, river birch and catalpa trees.

But students Jamee Wiebold, Rhea Wieditz and Skyler Vore want to keep the walnut trees. They told the school board about the Walnut Wizard, a metal device designed to pick up the walnuts. They suggested building a small shed for the storage of the wizards and walnuts. They also made arrangements to have a man pick up the walnuts they collect. Many students have offered to help use the wizards to pick up the walnuts.

Two other students presented a proposal similar to the first one, replacing the walnuts with trees. They also suggested planting yellow flowers around a black bench, adding a school-colors touch to the campus landscaping.

Superintendent Mary Jo Hainstock said she and Mrs. Peterson would look over the students’ proposals and bring back a recommendation to the school board for its March meeting.

Mrs. H-V said the project was part of the Green Schools program, which involves the students taking leadership roles in discussing environmental issues.