BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Students at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary celebrated Arbor Day today by getting out of the classroom and getting their hands dirty.

3rd graders at Roosevelt made the short walk across the bridge to Otsiningo Park where they paired up and planted oak tree saplings.

Members of Veterans for Peace dug the holes ahead of time, so the students just had to place their tree in, and cover it with mulch and water.

One student, Roman Floyd, says that he loved waving to all of the cars as they were walking to the park, but he says he’s most excited to see the sapling grow over the years.

“It’s basically like a child. you have it, and then it grows up, and makes you super happy. They trap bad stuff, I think. Gas, bad gas inside of the trees. And so, you breathe in the oxygen, so, planting trees is important.”

Floyd says that some of his classmates had never planted anything before.

The students tied pink ribbons around their saplings so they don’t get hit by anyone mowing the lawn.

Once they finished planting, the kids got to enjoy time on the playground, before making the walk back across the bridge.