December 18th, 2023

Written by Ruby Finn, a Grade 4 student at Southridge PS in Kitchener

It was an exciting day for Southridge Public School students on Friday, October 27, as we celebrated the new Microforest! The new addition is planted by the Kindergarten play area, next to the outdoor classroom. Two classes at a time were called down during the day, and they got to do some activities in the microforest. There were approximately 75 trees. My favourite activity was the one where we wrote a poem about nature. There were different stations with cool activities such as microscopes, chalk, etc. The activities were based on art and science, which are learning subjects.

I’ve learned that these trees cannot be touched, and if you do accidentally touch the trees, it’s fine, but make sure the tree is alright. One of the highlights of the microforest event was when I read in front of my sister, my mom, and my dad. I’m excited for when the trees are big and the other, younger kids at our school get to see the trees when they are nice and big, and kids get to run through them and play.

If you ever come to Southridge, make sure to take a look at the microforest. Maybe when you go there the trees will still be small, or maybe the trees will be very big. Either way, you will not be disappointed.

Poetry by Southridge PS students

Written by Adrija Tiwari, a Grade 5 student at Southridge PS in Kitchener

On October 27, our school had a big introduction to our new microforest. Our microforest has roughly 75 trees. I learned about coniferous trees, deciduous trees and shrubs.

Two classes came out at a time, listened to the speech and got to explore the seven different stations. My favourite station was the one with the microscopes. It was so fun looking at things close up. There were also stations where you could write poems, draw with chalk, etc.

I think the highlight of the event was reading the speeches over and over again in front of classes, including my brother’s.

I am excited about how big our microforest will be in the future and to learn outside in it.

Microforests in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB)

The microforest at Southridge PS is one of 12 at schools across the WRDSB, planted in partnership with Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR). Beyond the environmental benefits, microforests offer several advantages for the students who attend the schools where they are planted. These include additional shade in the schoolyard, and perhaps more importantly, additional outdoor educational opportunities as they feature a variety of fauna and flora to study.

#StudentVoice Series

These articles are written by a WRDSB student and are part of the Student Agency and Voice program. Student journalists embody WRDSB’s commitment to creating space for students to tell their stories. They are ambassadors for their peers as they share their personal experiences and stories about their schools and communities in their unique voices.

Read more #StudentVoice stories.

This story was included as part of our 2023 WRDSB Annual Report, which provides a small snapshot of student and staff achievements over the past year.