Ledger-Dispatch

By Bethany A. Monk (bmonk@ledger-dispatch.com) =

Argonaut High School teacher Gail = VonWald's=20 students, from left, Bryan Rowland, Andrew Acosta, Caleb Hoyt, = Kris=20 McIntosh, Clay Hoffman, Michael Camden, Alexis Woodruff, Michael = Ellner,=20 Cassandra Barela hope the person who took their tree will return = it to the=20 school.

Photo by: Bethany A.=20 Monk
When Gail VonWald heard Monday morning = that=20 one of the trees she and her students spent countless hours planting and = caring=20 for as part of their new life science project was gone, she didn't = believe=20 it.

"We have planted about 15 bareroot fruit trees on our curved=20 driveway," said Von Wald, a special education teacher at Argonaut High = School in=20 Jackson. On April 14, she heard, and then saw for herself, a barren pile = of dirt=20 where the white nectarine tree once stood. She inferred that someone = uprooted=20 the tree sometime over the weekend. "It just completed blooming. = Somebody just=20 grabbed the tree and walked off," she said. "It looks like they liked = the tree=20 and wanted to keep it."

Several months ago, VonWald applied for = and=20 received a $2,500 garden grant from the California State Department of = Education=20 to fund the tree-planting project. She and her students are also in the = process=20 of planting sunflowers and other seeds to learn about the life cycle of=20 vegetation, a component of their science curriculum.

It was the = stealing=20 from the students who took the time to plant the tree that concerns her = most,=20 VonWald said. Students began planting the trees in the beginning of = March on a=20 patch of dirt near the tennis courts, not too far from VonWald's=20 classroom.

"I didn't make a report for a $30 tree," she said, = when asked=20 if she had contacted the police. "What's the point? It's not really = vandalism.=20 Somebody saw the tree and thought they wanted it."

"I'm just = concerned=20 that there are people taking away from schools," VonWald added. She and = her=20 students have invested a lot of time into the garden projects, she=20 said.

When senior Michael Camden heard earlier this week that the = tree=20 had been taken, he said he felt upset.

"We took all that time = digging=20 that hole. It was my favorite tree," Camden said, adding with a smile = that he=20 had named it "Bob."

"I was mad," said Michael Ellner, also a = senior. "All=20 of our blood, sweat and tears went into planting that tree," he said, = inciting=20 giggles from his classmates. "It was the best tree in the=20 garden."

"Whoever stole the tree is probably too lazy or too = cheap to buy=20 their own," said Bryan Rowland, an Argonaut freshman.

The = culprit, if=20 caught, should have to pay "a good fine for stealing" the tree, = according to=20 Kris McIntosh, a sophomore, adding that "it took a lot of time and = effort to=20 plant that tree."

Earlier this week, VonWald called the Jackson = Police=20 Department, not to file a report, but to ask if the school could become = a member=20 of the Neighborhood Watch program. She's still waiting to hear back from = the=20 department, noting that it doesn't look promising. "He said, 'You're a = school'=20 implying that we weren't part of the neighborhood, she = said.

Wednesday=20 morning, the school's principal, David Vicari, announced the incident to = students and staff, VonWald said. Many students agreed to search for the = missing=20 tree.

VonWald's students agreed that the garden projects, new to=20 VonWald's curriculum, have been enjoyable and educational.

"I = like=20 outdoor work," McIntosh said, when asked what he thought about the = gardening=20 projects he and his classmates have been working on. "It builds muscle, = gets=20 blood pumping" and gets students outside in the fresh air.

"It = gets us=20 away from (class) work," said sophomore Andrew Acosta, "and we get to = learn=20 about the different kinds of vegetables and plants." Acosta, who plans = to go=20 into the landscaping business, said the class is very helpful for=20 him.

VonWald's hope is that someone will bring the tree back, she = said.

"I have a feeling that it's in somebody's yard."

As = of=20 Wednesday, a lone pole with a bright pink sign that reads, "Yes!! We = notice the=20 tree is missing! Why don't you bring it back" sits in the place where = the=20 students' white nectarine tree once stood.

To report information = about=20 the missing tree or to contribute to VonWald's garden program, call=20 257-7713.

Bethany A. = Monk