Tuesday, a class of fourth-graders from Monroe Elementary School in Sevier County presented a proposal to Governor Gary Herbert and the Governor’s Rural Partnership Board to change the state tree.
"Each year when we go over the state symbols and we talk about the Colorado blue spruce, the kids always say it’s funny we have a Colorado tree for our state tree," said Angie Blomquist, teacher of the class. This year her class acted on their desire to change the symbol to something they believed would represent Utah better, the aspen.
"They leaned more toward the aspen," Blomquist said, "the kids were more excited about that because we see them everywhere; they’re part of our lifestyle."
There is a bill currently in legislation, promoted by Spencer Cox of the Utah House of Representatives and Ralph Okerlund of the state Senate, which petitions to change the state tree to an aspen. The students were asked by a Sevier County commissioner to create and present their proposal to the governor in support of the bill as part of the governor's Capitol for a Day rural tour.
The students have been invited to present their arguments again on the House floor when the bill is taken to congress.
The blue spruce was chosen by the Utah State Legislature in 1933 to be the state tree. It is also the current state tree of Colorado.
Taylor Halversen is a senior at Utah State University, majoring in Communication Studies and Liberal Arts. She's from Sandy, Utah and is interested in discovering new and random things to try and attempting to live life wholly and healthily. She loves music and climbing anything from trees to mountains.
