WILTON – Ben Miron, a seventh-grader at Pine Hill Waldorf School in Wilton, was been named one of the 10 finalists in the section for grades 6-8 of the national Trees Rock video contest run by Scotties facial tissues.

The grand-prize winner in this division will receive $10,000 for their school to use toward a sustainable project, such as tree plantings, outdoor classrooms, playgrounds, athletic fields, gardens and greenhouses.

All kids who entered the contest were required to create a video up to three minutes long on the importance of trees – to themselves, their school and their community.

At Pine Hill Waldorf School, teachers follow the students as they progress grade by grade. The school also takes a creative approach to education by combining traditional curriculum with creative programs such as classes in circus arts. Yes, unicycle riding has its own class!

Students were encouraged to be as creative as possible in their entries – for example, by creating a poem, a play, a speech, a song or a dance. Entries from around the country were narrowed down to the 10 best in grades 3-5 and 6-8.

In his video, Ben explained the uniqueness of his school and all it has taught him about nature. Tucked away on 38 acres of forest, each grade has its own “outdoor classroom” where trees are a centerpiece of their education – and some even get special names.

“The contest sounded like a lot of fun, and we thought we could make a video that could help raise money to finish the partially completed Children’s Village at the school,” said Ben, who lives in Bedford. “The Children’s Village will house the kindergarten, preschool and nursery program the school offers in separate facilities adjacent to the main school.”

As an independent school, Pine Hill doesn’t receive funding assistance from the state and has to rely on other means to continue running. The prize would be a great asset in continuing the school’s environmental education programming.

The video can be found at youtube.com/watch?v=QRR2DD294Ns&feature=youtu.be. Winners will be chosen by voters across America who watch the top videos and vote for their favorite through Friday, Feb. 6, at scottiestreesrock.com.

The winners in both categories will be announced Sunday, Feb. 15.