Newberry Elementary received two top awards in the 31st annual Beautify Your School Contest: first place in the Go Green (environmental projects) category and second place in the Creativity category. 

The school cleanup competition is open to all Memphis schools, grades pre-kindergarten to 12. Students are challenged to improve their school surroundings by first cleaning up the grounds, then beautifying them with anything from plantings to murals and garden art. 

Newberry Elementary ESL teacher Rebecca Tieman said she used leftover funds from a gardening grant to purchase pain, plants, mulch and soil. In putting together the project, Tieman said it was important for her to recognize and celebrate the many cultures of the students who attend the school. 

For example, discarded wooden pallets were used as the canvas for students to create flags representing their various home countries. 

“The pallets had been discarded in our courtyard, so we used them to create flags from eight different countries,” said Tieman. “We also used recycled water bottles to make garden sculptures; the bottles were cut into spirals, attached to chicken wire and spray painted. Sixty flowers were planted, and we cleaned up and mulched the flower beds.”

Schools are encouraged to enter in multiple categories and must submit before-and-after photos documenting the project. The Beautify Your School contest is sponsored and judged annually by Landers Ford, Memphis City Beautiful, and WREG Channel 3.