Steeby 3rd-grader writing contest winner, plants 3 trees

Nikol Yanakieva, a third-grader from Lori Howell’s class at Steeby Elementary School, recently won first place in the Michigan Arbor Day Alliance 2016 “Go Green Youth Challenge” creative writing contest. Students were given a list of questions to think about and were asked to use their imaginations and tell the Michigan Arbor Day Alliance: “What would happen if trees were in charge?” Nikol submitted her entry and was notified in April she was a $100 winner to plant trees at the Rabbit River Nature Trail entrance. Nikol and her classmates, along with the Wayland City Mayor, Tim Bala, and Superintendent Norm Taylor, held a tree planting ceremony where she helped plant three trees purchased from Honey Tree Farms — a Canadian Plum, Redbud and a Sumac. (Photo courtesy of Laurie Zywiczynski)