Enhancing Education With Tree Ceilings

As this crazy year closes, I want to share a moment of sanity and deep appreciation.  Telemundo52 in Los Angeles recently did a story on the tree ceiling installations we did at Gage Middle School in East Los Angeles.  They interviewed students and a teacher about how the tree ceilings made them feel on their return to the classroom.  Their response punctuates the reason you donated to make this project happen.  As you watch the attached video, listen to their comments and the spirit in their voices. They speak for the 1,200 students at Gage Middle School.  Your donation made this possible.  I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas holiday.  

Links:

• Telemundo reports on Gage Middle School in Huntington Park.

Students, staff and teachers at Henry T. Gage Middle School were welcomed back for the 2021-22 school year as they discovered the surprise appearance of tree canopy ceilings in three classrooms and the school library. The placement and intended use of these lifelike and realistic appearing canopy ceilings is to promote achievement and decrease anxiety in academic settings especially with the added stress of the current Covid-19 pandemic. 

Backed by forty years of peer-reviewed scientific research on the positive effects of nature in academia, the aim of the canopy ceilings will be to raise test scores and grade point averages, increase attention spans, and lower stress levels. This research also finds photographic images of nature share comparable impacts with improved learning outcomes by placing students in a calming environment. 

“Our goal is to bring a little relief to the anxiety kids are feeling getting back to the classroom and bring out the sense of happiness in coming to school”, said Founder and Executive Director, Ernesto Rodriguez. 

The classroom and library ceilings feature four different local tree species photographed in Los Angeles County. To achieve the naturalistic effects of being outdoors, thirty-two high resolution images were printed on 2’x4’ ceiling tiles and pieced together to complete the ceiling canopy. All tiles meet existing national building fire codes and are produced with non-toxic inks on recycled plastic. 

The tree canopy ceilings will also act as a built-in learning opportunity and focal point about nature and the environment. Additionally, they will serve to further complement and broaden the benefits of Gage Middle School’s existing gardening and Social Emotional Learning programs.

"Based on the feedback I have receiceved, not only are the students engaged and learning about nature, teachers are also attesting that students are much calmer under the trees and that is music to my ears," added Rodriguez.