Instead of hitting the books, Eaton Rapids students got a lesson
Wednesday, in going green. "Cleaning up our planet is the
obligation of our generation," says Devan Rostorfer, the Eaton
Rapids High School senior who organized the Community Earth Day
Festival as part of an independent study. High school students
spent Earth Day planting trees and shrubs, picking up debris,
and beautifying the Playground of Dreams, because Rostorfer had
an idea of her own. "I thought, 'Why don't we bring the
community groups together and sort of work on increasing
environmental awareness,'" she says. So, she organized the
inaugural Community Earth Day Festival. Parents, teachers and
kids K-12 hit Howe Field ready to learn some environmentally-
friendly lessons. "We kind of show to the younger students that
taking care of the earth and getting involved with the community
is fun," Rostorfer says. "It's the cool thing to do." Eaton
Rapids' Earth Day festival is more than just one day to
recognize the environment. It's part of a lon