Saguaros planted at Indian Bend Elementary celebrate life, legacy and the future

By Stacy Mantle
Mail

Nearly four decades after they first learned together in classrooms at Indian Bend Elementary, former students traveled from across Arizona and beyond to stand side by side once again — this time as adults planting saguaros to honor the school that shaped their childhood and their futures.

The gathering marked both a reunion and a continuation of a tradition first started by those same students and teachers in the late 1980s.

Alumni, former staff and community members gathered Feb. 1 for a reunion centered on the planting of eight commemorative saguaros on campus — seven representing each grade level and one symbolizing a new school building planned for the future. The gathering blended celebration, memory and purpose, with former students returning from across Arizona and several flying in from out of state to take part.

For many, the event was less a 40-year reunion and more a return to the place where their love of learning took root.

“It was an amazing event, and we were all so very honored to be part of it,” said Danielle McBride, a Realtor and Indian Bend Elementary alumni. “Every child deserves the experiences and education we received at Indian Bend.”

Former principal Dr. Dick Buscher, who led Indian Bend Elementary during the 1980s and helped launch the original planting tradition, said the gathering demonstrated the lasting influence educators and students can share across decades.

“As a teacher and principal, I had 33 classrooms to support and influence,” Buscher said. “We always tried to keep our kids grounded in kindness, bravery and thinking about the future. We were doing this for children who haven’t even been born yet.”

Buscher and his wife, Linda, dedicated 30 years to PVSchools and were known for connecting classroom learning with Arizona’s natural environment. Under their leadership, Indian Bend Elementary earned statewide recognition, including multiple A+ School of Excellence honors and designation as one of the country's top elementary schools during the 1980s.

The original saguaro planting began in 1988 as part of a broader environmental education effort. Supported by the city of Phoenix, local schools and community partners, the initiative expanded beyond Indian Bend Elementary to include other public and private campuses. Since then, more than 2,252 saguaros have been planted through the program.

“This really started with the kids and their teachers,” Buscher said. “They’re the ones who remembered. Thirty-eight years have gone by, and they still care about what we built together.”

That impact was visible throughout the day as former classmates reunited, shared stories and sang “I Love You Arizona” together before planting the new saguaros.

“I will always love learning because of the foundation I received at Indian Bend,” McBride said. “The friendships we made — with our teachers and with each other — have lasted a lifetime. Being back together to honor that was incredibly special.”

Several alumni helped to organize the reunion and planting, including Stephanie Jakola, who created an online alumni group to reconnect former students and staff; Heidi Hawking and Danielle McBride, who helped coordinate logistics; and Becki Carson, now with the PVSchools district office and also an Indian Bend alumna.

For many organizers, the goal was to ensure that the school’s legacy continues to benefit future generations of Arizona students.

“We hope they never underestimate the impact they had and the differences they made  in our lives,” said McBride. “I will always love learning thanks to my early foundation. The lifelong friendships we made at Indian Bend not only with our educators but also our peers have stayed with so many of us, and are very special parts of our lives.” 

The event also drew the attention of historians and documentarians. Librarian Diana Manese is working to preserve materials related to the school’s environmental education legacy within the Arizona State Archives, while a group of former students is producing a documentary capturing the story behind the planting tradition and its revival.

Buscher said watching former students reconnect in the desert underscored the enduring value of strong school communities.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group,” he said. “I sat under the shade watching them run up to each other, laughing and reconnecting after all these years. The whole day was magical.”

Saguaros were chosen intentionally as the symbol of the school’s legacy. Like the students who planted them, they grow slowly but steadily, shaped by their environment and rooted in place for generations.

Organizers say the revived planting tradition will continue, linking past, present and future through the desert landscape that defines the region. As the young saguaros begin their long journey skyward, they will stand as living reminders of a school community that believed in its students — and in the generations still to come.

Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.