First designated Redbud City of Oklahoma over 60 years ago, there’s little doubt the city of Shawnee will retain that title in the future, thanks to a wonderful program from the Beautification Committee of the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce. They make sure each third grade student in the public school system receives a small Eastern Redbud tree to plant at home.

It’s exciting to see the lovingly tended trees rapidly grow taller each year, much like the kids who planted them. Help comes in the form of a booklet, “How to Care for My Baby Redbud Tree,” written by the committee and illustrated by a high school student.

Now entering its fourth year, the tree-planting program not only adds to Shawnee’s beauty, it is an effective living lesson in tree stewardship for a very important audience. For creatively tieing beautification to broader ecological knowledge through its program for third graders, THE SHAWNEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE IS GOOD NEWS FOR OKLAHOMA, ITS KIDS AND ITS STATE TREE!