By Brian Hews
The La Mirada City Council honored a dozen local school age children this week as award winners in the “Love a Tree” Poster Contest.
Inside the packed La Mirada City Hall Council Chambers, Mayor Gabe Garcia recognized students from grade Kindergarten through 8th Grade at the start of the meeting for being this year’s contest winners.
More than 1,100 entries were submitted from school aged students for the contest in recognition of Arbor Day.
Garcia pointed out that Arbor Day was started by the editor of a Nebraska newspaper in 1872 and more than one million trees were planted in that Midwest state that first day.
La Mirada has commemorated Arbor Day with an annual posted contest and Garcia said the city council is “proud to be a Tree City USA.”
“We have always considered La Mirada to be a shining example of how an urban forest can beautify a community. We have always had a commitment to the environment and our children are a great example of how we can all make a difference for our planet,” Garcia said.
Tuesday was also “Earth Day” and activities were held around the greater Southeast Los Angeles County area to commemorate the event.
The winners are:
Faith Arbiso, Pre-Kindergarten, La Mirada Heights Christian Preschool; Aiden Peade, Kindergarten, La Mirada Heights Elementary; Brian Ybarra, First Grade, La Mirada Heights Christian Elementary School; Yvette Aguilar, Second Grade, Gardenhill Elementary School; Nicole Vuong, Escalona Elementary School, Third Grade.
Other recipients were Katelynn Ybarra, Fourth Grade, La Mirada Heights Christian Elementary School; Madison Uy, Fifth Grade, Eastwood Elementary School; Briana Armas, Sixth Grade, Benton Middle School; Olivia Morales, Seventh Grade, Benton Middle School and Alexa Cabrera, Eight Grade who also attends Benton Middle School.
