What is the Lancaster High School Memorial Grove?

The Lancaster High School Memorial Grove is a grove of trees, which commemorates students, and faculty and staff members who have died while still a member of The Lancaster High Family. The grove also serves as an outdoor classroom area for LHS Science and Art students while beautifying the high school grounds, which are used by many members of the Lancaster Community.

The Memorial Grove has been sponsored by the Lancaster High School Student Union and supported by the Lancaster Board of Education. A total of thirty students, faculty, and board members have been included in the initial grove. All those included in the grove passed away while they were a member of the school community. Planting began in the fall of 1993 and was completed in the fall of 1994. There is currently a tree for each individual who has passed away. In the future, the master plan can easily be utilized in the unfortunate event that a death should occur within our school’s population.

History
The LHS Memorial Grove, like any other unique idea, has a story behind it. During the summer of 1992, a member of the Class of 1995, Carrie Ann Burger, passed away. Her classmates held a memorial service in her honor, but they wanted to do something more. They requested permission to plant a tree in her memory. Permission was denied because nothing had been done for any previous LHS member who had died in the past. Later, Mr. Carlsen, a Lancaster Board of Education member, came to speak to Mr. Tylenda’s ‘92-’93 Leadership Class. He addressed the idea of a Memorial Grove, and sparked the interest of Anne Zichetella. This was the beginning of the planning of the Memorial Grove.

Future Plans
All the individuals who are currently included in the Memorial Grove met certain conditions. They passed away while a member of the student body or the faculty at Lancaster High School. Two board members were also included since they passed away while serving the Lancaster School System. The committee did not include any individual who passed away after graduation, relocation, or retirement.

If your loved one did not fit the original requirements, there is still a way for them to be commemorated in the LHS Memorial Grove. If the individual was a student, faculty or staff member at Lancaster High School, you may follow the procedures as outlined to have your loved one remembered. Attached you will find an application for the Memorial Grove, as well as a description of the procedures.

If you have any remaining questions, please contact Mr. Skowron at 686-3277 Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:30 AM and 3 PM.

Process for Additions to the Lancaster High School Memorial Grove
In the unfortunate event that a current student or high school staff member should pass away, the Board of Education will determine if the school district will finance the planting of a tree and installation of a memorial stone in memory of that individual. A student will be considered a member of the student body if he or she is enrolled and currently attending Lancaster High School. In order to be commemorated, the staff member must be currently employed at Lancaster High School.

All other additions to the grove must go through an application process. In order to provide all the applicants with a fair process for additions to the Memorial Grove, the committee has developed a specific list of criteria, which will be used as a reference.

1.) The individual must have been a member of the Lancaster High School in one of two ways: as a student or as a staff member.

2.) The individual must have made some contribution to the educational process or any other contribution that made a significant difference to the Lancaster High School Community.

Procedures for additions to the Lancaster High School Memorial Grove
All requests for additions to the Lancaster High School Memorial Grove must be made to the Student Union Advisor and officers who will review the written application. If accepted, the proposed addition will be presented to the Superintendent of Schools, who in turn will review this application. He will then make the final recommendation to the Board of Education.

If the Board of Education grants the request, the Buildings and Grounds Department as well as other professionals will be contacted to assist the Student Union Advisor and officers to decide the size and quality of the tree to be planted. The Student Union Advisor and officers will also take the responsibility to make sure that the proper procedures will be followed in the planting of the tree and installation of the memorial stone.

(Approved by Lancaster Board of Education on May 8, 1995)