Fourth-grade Lakeview Elementary School students Izzy Miller, right, and Harper Kumpula plant marigolds during Negaunee Beautification Committee’s annual Marigold Mania planting event at Miner’s Park in Negaunee Monday afternoon. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

NEGAUNEE — The Negaunee Beautification Committee teamed up with fourth-grade students from Lakeview Elementary School for its annual Marigold Mania on Monday afternoon at Miner’s Park in Negaunee.

“Our mission is to enhance and improve the appearance and the environment of the city parks,” said Anna Mattson, Negaunee Beautification Committee organizer.

Students started growing two marigold plants each during mid-April in the school greenhouse. On Monday, the fourth-grade students got to walk to Miners Park from the school to replant each flower around the park.

“This took a lot of work because getting into it is really hard, but otherwise it’s really fun,” Student Harper Kumpula, 10, said.

On Wednesday, the NBC will be partnering with the Negaunee Middle School’s sixth-grade class to participate in Earth Day by sprucing up the park areas in downtown Negaunee. Each class will tackle a different area, to clean and beautify.

“As we progressed through the years, we try to get a little more technical with the kids, a little more involvement,” Mattson said.

Kevin Bell’s Negaunee High School woods class is participating by having created new 1844 ore cart planters last year to install on Wednesday.

“The goal of the committee is to encourage kids to have ownership and then that will hopefully continue into being an adult, and they’ll come back and give back to the community the way they did in fourth grade,” Mattson said.

Corey Kelly can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 243.