A Lasting Legacy
December 3, 2009
Two Year 12 students returned to the Boondall Wetlands before graduating to check on the progress of trees they planted three years ago as part of a Year 9 assignment.
The religious education assignment required students to hypothetically change the community by performing an act of solidarity. For Andrew O'Dea and Christian Benbow the hypothetical element became a reality when they registered their idea with the Brisbane City Council’s Plant a Tree program and teacher Mr Brian O’Reilly helped purchase the trees.
Andrew and Christian then organised for the rest of their Year 9 classmates to plant the trees at the Wetlands.
“The assignment was hypothetical but Christian and I decided that there was no reason to stop us from changing the community,” Andrew said.
“Today, I’m a person assiduous in social justice and performing acts of solidarity because of my first experience in the feel-good hobby.”
Andrew remembers the day of the planting well and was pleased to be able to go back and see the difference in the trees.
“I left the site after planting the trees feeling satisfied that I had made a difference. To come back three years later was interesting.
“The 15 centimetre plants that I planted grew into several metre high plants. In a matter of three years the growth of these trees was incredible.
"I realise that, while I will never be around to see the fully mature trees, I hope the children of the future will be able to experience the indigenous trees that once populated the land of Australia.
“To know that future generations will be able to experience some natural beauty because of the simple act of carrying out a hypothetical assignment is a feeling that I will never forget.”
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