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![The most important thing is “to have the kids have [a] personal investment in the trees that are going into their outdoor classroom,” said Morgan Buchanan of Shore Rivers.](https://zeta.creativecirclecdn.com/caroline/original/20261110-181002-3e1-Denton%20Elem_3rd%20grade-Tree%20Planting_11092026-%205.jpg)
DENTON — Denton Elementary School is finishing up a brand-new outdoor classroom, and some third through fifth grade students helped bring the space to life by planting trees on Monday, November 10, 2026.
The planting was part of a project that has taken shape over several years. What started as an effort to fix persistent standing water around the Denton Elementary School parking lot evolved into a partnership between Caroline County Public Schools, Caroline County Planning and Codes, Environmental Construction Company, Rauch Engineering, the Center for Watershed Protection, JBO Conservation / Envision the Choptank, and Shore Rivers. Each aspect of the project tackles the stormwater runoff issue while creating environmentally friendly and educational features to the school, including bioretention areas, permeable pavement, and strategic planting of native plants to filter runoff before it dumps into the nearby Choptank River. The last phase of the project – the outdoor classroom – is where Denton Elementary finds itself today.
The students who participated in planting the Sweet Bay Magnolia, American Sycamore, Willow Oak, and Swamp White Oak trees were members of Denton Elementary’s Green Club, led by educators Julie Strange, Amy Gilliland, and Sarah Jones. Strange explained that the Green Club started a few years ago and has worked on several projects like recycling and composting. She also noted that they have grown from about 20 student members in previous years to roughly 40 this year.
During the planting, students learned a few basic steps for helping a tree establish itself, including preparing its roots and setting it at the right height in the soil. The demonstration, led by members of Shore River’s education team, also gave them a chance to take part in planting and caring for the trees firsthand.
Morgan Buchanan, Education Programs Manager at Shore Rivers, said that this kind of hands-on involvement can help students feel responsible for the trees long after planting day. She said it is important “to have the kids have [a] personal investment in the trees that are going into their outdoor classroom.” “When kids plant these trees, they’re paying attention. They’re naming them. They’re coming back,” Buchanan said. Because of this personal investment, Buchanan said the students are more likely to care for the trees and alert Shore Rivers if their tree is having an issue.
Buchanan also said the planting provides a real-world example for how trees impact the health of the river. “It’s one thing to tell a kid that a tree helps protect the rivers,” she said, but teaching that lesson as students physically plant a tree “really solidifies” it.
Vernon Murray, Community Engagement Coordinator with JBO Conservation’s Envision the Choptank program, said he joined the work in January, and it is rewarding to begin to see the classroom already teaching students even before it is officially completed. “I noticed the teachers were excited, too,” he said.
In the coming weeks, signage explaining the types of plants that students see and their benefits will be put up. Then all that is left is to get benches installed under the outdoor classroom’s pergola, and the work on this multi-faceted project will finally be finished.
