On April 16, 2026, as the 57th World Earth Day approached, Shanghai Roots & Shoots, together with Walt Disney, stepped into the school garden of East Shanghai Experimental School. Together with the students, they planted a gentle gift for the Earth with their own hands.
Part One: Learn First, Then Set Off
Before the activity began, Disney volunteers took part in a detailed "pre-job training."
Shanghai Roots & Shoots staff divided them into three teams: the Vegetable Group, the Herb Group, and the Native Plant Group, and thoroughly explained the complete process from planning to transplanting and watering.
Part Two: Better Preparation, Better Planting
Before the students arrived, the volunteers took the lead in taking action.
They carefully identified the seedlings and planned the spots in advance. "Let's get everything ready so that when the kids come, we can go straight to the fun part."
A touch of care was buried in every shovelful of soil turned over.
Part Three: Big Hands Hold Little Hands
After the students had arrived, the real teamwork began.
Together, they spread the nutrient-rich soil and sheep manure organic fertilizer evenly over the original soil and mixed them well. The air was filled with the scent of fermented earth. The children curiously leaned and took a sniff: "So this is what plant meals smell like!"
Everyone worked in cooperation: some dug holes, some planted the seedlings, some covered the roots with soil, and some watered the plants.
Their movements were not skillful, but every single person was exceptionally focused.
Part Four: Naming the Plants – and the Memory
After planting, everyone crouched by the plots, writing down the names of the plants, and placing the labels next to the seedlings.
Some wrote "pepper," some wrote "perilla," some wrote "wild chrysanthemum"...
"This plot is ours now! I'll come to see them often, and I hope they’ll thrive," a girl said proudly, holding up a plant label.
In the End
From learning to practice, from tilling the soil to planting, from labelling to guardianship – on this day, Disney volunteers and the students of East Shanghai Experimental School completed a "green relay" of growth and responsibility.
We would like to thank the Walt Disney and East Shanghai Experimental School for their great support and trust in Shanghai Roots & Shoots Organic Garden Program.
Plant for the Planet is not just a slogan. It is every time we bend down, every seed we plant, and every child's smile.