On Friday, May 16, the Independence High School (IHS) Class of 2025 gathered in the bus loop island to witness the planting of a tree that will mark the beginning of a new, lasting tradition—the “Legacy of Excellence Walkway.”
The idea was first brought to the district by Ryan Wancata, a proud IHS alum and representative of the City of Independence who serves as the City of Independence’s Parks & Recreation Manager/Arborist. His vision: to plant a tree for each graduating class in the bus loop island, creating a living monument to student legacy and growth.
Student Council President Joseph Graham and Senior Class President Ella Sliwinski embraced the idea and quickly got to work. After meeting with Wancata, the pair helped choose the type of tree and collaborated on the design and wording for the commemorative plaque that will sit beside it.
Thanks to the generous support of the IHS PTO, the Class of 2025 tree will be joined by two professionally crafted plaques—one to dedicate the inaugural tree and another to mark the start of the Legacy of Excellence Walkway. These are expected to be installed near graduation.
The City of Independence has committed to maintaining the trees and overseeing the continued development of this decades-long initiative. This vision was intended to continue a strong partnership between the school system and City while increasing the tree canopy growth across the City in a creative way. With the first tree now taking root, the Legacy of Excellence Walkway is set to become a proud and growing tradition for IHS students for generations to come.
