Greentrees Country Day School...it must have been a name too irresistible for Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto to pass up when selecting a location for the annual Arbor Day celebration.

Some of the pre-kindergartners who attend this Syosset school had recently been looking for a way to better their community, and wrote a letter to Venditto in January for suggestions. "The children had been looking for something they could do to improve the quality of life in their neighborhood. This event seemed perfect for them," said Venditto. It was a natural fit. And speaking of nature, this opportunity provided a perfect way to introduce young children to the importance of tree conservation.

"The children were so thrilled," said teacher Allison Moss, whose class was responsible for the letter, and whose last name also fits the theme of greenery. "They really did understand that they were helping the community," she continued, making sure to thank Jennifer Klinger, the class' other teacher, for her equal contribution.

The youngsters observed as Venditto, and his staff unveiled a bright, blooming maple, donated by Old Jericho Nurseries, which now lies on the public property just outside of the school. It wasn't long before tiny hands began grabbing shovels, and the kids, themselves, began digging alongside workers.

The Arbor Day ceremony also fulfilled one of four criteria that any community must complete before the National Arbor Day Foundation can grant it the prestigious status of Tree City USA. A huge banner hoisted above the school grounds proudly boasted that Oyster Bay, for the 10th consecutive year, had recently achieved that status.

Oyster Bay first received the honor under the leadership of then-Supervisor Angelo Delligatti, and, said Venditto, "I am proud to continue the tradition."

"This was a tree-oriented community when I was born here in 1949," he continued. "Over the years, we lost a lot of trees for things that were necessary. Now, we're closer to being fully developed, and it's time to let the pendulum swing back a little bit...There's a quality of life that we aim to achieve here in the Town of Oyster Bay, and trees are a fundamental ingredient in that."

The supervisor stressed the importance of instilling similar values in today's youth, and said that he spends as much time as possible visiting schools to do so. Even children as young as those attending Greentrees can grasp such lessons. "You can't start too soon teaching about maintaining quality of life. It won't be long until we turn things over to them, and so they need the proper foundation." In years past, similar festivities have been held at other local schools such as East Plains Elementary.

Moss' and Klinger's schoolchildren first contacted Venditto after partaking in a thorough exploration of their local community, as part of a unit aimed at familiarizing kids with their neighborhood. The 4-year-olds took a bus tour around Syosset and the Town of Oyster Bay, and were asked to note what they liked and disliked about their surroundings. The teachers then encouraged their students to consider how they could improve their neighborhood.

After getting the nod to host Arbor Day festivities, teachers at Greentrees branched out the curriculum to cover a unit on plants. "During the whole week before, the kids learned about Earth Day, and how to help the environment," said Moss. "They learned how trees grow, and that they give us wood, fruit and air. And the ceremony was the perfect conclusion to the whole entire unit."

And for giving something back to the environment, each one of Moss' and Klinger's students received a seedling for planting at home, while the school was presented with a proclamation and award.

According to Tina Koutros of the National Arbor Day Foundation, the other three criteria that the town met in being named Tree City USA is a tree board or department, a community tree ordinance and a community forestry program that spends a minimum of $2 per capita.

Venditto credited the town's extensive policies on both tree planting and tree removal, such as its program that facilitates deep-rooted planting, and another which promotes growing "wire-friendly trees," which do not interfere with power lines.