tolland high school

Volunteers plant flowers at Birch Grove and Tolland Intermediate School

A small, but dedicated group of about 10 parents, students and faculty gathered at the Birch Grove Primary and Tolland Intermediate schools Saturday afternoon to plant some new gardens.

Hosted by the Tolland Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization’s Beautification Committee, the spring clean up day was a chance to invest some time and add color and vibrancy to the school’s grounds.

Victoria Nicholas, 11, a student at Tolland Middle School, struggled to cut through a patch of pesky roots with her shovel as she dug a trench where a line of flowers would be planted at the primary school. Just a plot or two away Birch Grove Assistant Principal Michael Moynihan and Karen Kies, one of the school's secretaries, worked on their own projects.

Kies said that different organizations like the PTO have taken it upon themselves to help maintain the garden plots. Committee Chairwoman Cheryl Nicholas had hoped for more volunteers, but that those interested will have another opportunity to get their hand dirty in the soil at the schools within the next couple of weeks. 

The Beautification Committee had done some planting at TIS in the fall, and the committee is planning to adopt the patch of land they were working today, Nicholas said, making it responsible for its upkeep.

The group’s long-term goal is to plant a variety of perennials in each plot and surround them with small stone river rock to create a self-sustaining garden with minimal weeds.

"We're trying to spruce it up a little bit," Nicholas said. "These are very hardy plants, and they will keep growing back year after year."

Two students from Tolland High School Vision Club, Beatrice White-Amirez and Nike Oyelola, joined the group and were attentive as Nicholas helped teach the pair how to plant, instructing them to make small dirt mounds around each newly-planted flower for support. 

Both girls said that they enjoyed gardening and would return to volunteer the next time the PTO needs help.

'A Sunset of Dreams' as Tolland High School Celebrates Prom 2011 ...

All week, the question of whether Mother Nature would spare outdoor prom pictures hung over the heads of prom-goers. If the weather was nice, pictures would be taken at the Tolland Green. If the weather was threatening, pictures at St. Matthew's Church.

With blue skies on one side of town and dark clouds looming in the distance, prom-goers opted for St. Matthew's Church grounds, and if necessary, the building itself, for Tolland's 2011 Junior/Senior Prom pictures on May 20.

Families and friends gathered all over the church grounds – the gazebo, in front of the church, in the parking lot and in the garden.

“It's great to see everyone dolled up for the day,” senior Stephanie Knowlton said, as she posed with Lexie Guzy and Olivia Hodina, two friends since middle school.

“I'm glad the weather held out,” Hodina said.

Juniors Cassie Nerbonne, Rachel G., Erika Sturgis and Sarah Kilguss, decked out in bold-colored gowns, have been friends since their days at Tolland Cooperative Preschool.

“It's amazing to be friends since preschool and now, going to prom,” Rachel said, adding that she thinks they'll continue to stay close both in proximity and as friends as they venture off to college.

Tolland senior tennis players Rachel Alvarez, Allison Waterfield and Sarah Anischik gathered together to pose for some final photos before heading off to the prom. All three have not only the prom to look forward to, but also the state tennis tournament, which begins in early June.

“It's kind of surreal,” Anischik said, of the prom and the upcoming tournament, which will send players in both individual competition and team competition. “We have a good representation of our team going,” she said, adding that the team made it to the state semi-finals last year and the hope is to make it at least to semis again this year.

The Tolland prom was held at the Nathan Hale Inn and Conference Center at the University of Connecticut. The theme was “A Sunset of Dreams.