On hand for F.E. Burleson’s Earth Day included, from left, Ruchi Patel, Bryleigh Moore, Eli Terry, Brady Holt, Sidney Woznicki, Grace Betterton and Ashley Boudreaux, a former FEB student and 2004 Hartselle High alumus. Boudreaux, daughter of FEB teacher Danna Boudreaux, came back to her elementary school to help teach the students lessons about Earth Day. She is currently the environmental coordinator for the City of Tuscaloosa. | Brent Maze

Former student helps FEB learn about environment

Ashley Boudreaux doesn’t remember having as much fun learning about the environment as students at F.E. Burleson Elementary School do today.

“We never had an outdoor classroom to learn in,” she said. “I’m kind of jealous.”

Boudreaux speaks from experience. She is a Hartselle native and former Burleson Elementary School student. Her mom, Danna, is still a teacher at the school.

On a cool, damp Friday afternoon in mid-April, she came back home to help teach the students about Earth Day.

Boudreaux, who is the environmental coordinator for City of Tuscaloosa, said she is impressed by what the students already know about conservation and the environment.

“I think they already know much more about the environment than what I did at their age,” Boudreaux said. “They have a chance to learn about that every day in their outdoor classroom.

“I think they’re much more conscious about their environment than we were in school. It’s something that’s very important for all of us.”

In addition to helping teach the students, Boudreaux said that the City of Tuscaloosa is donating trees to the school to help replace the ones that were cut down during the construction of the new Hartselle High School.

Because the conditions were too damp for planting, Boudreaux said she will come back next month to help plant those trees.