A collaborative effort between the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce and Boothbay Region High School is underway to help the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program and brighten the holidays.

An Adopt-A-Tree initiative involves an $80 entry fee and a business or individual can decorate a 4-foot primed plywood tree form – made by the STEAM students – and a stand to put on display. Sixteen trees will be made available and a portion of the money will go towards the STEAM program, according to Tom Minerich, who is taking the orders for the Chamber – call Tom at 414-688-0172 to reserve a tree.

Minerich said the trees can be decorated in any way and there will be prizes for the Best Overall Tree, Best Use of Theme and People’s Choice.

A couple of different designs were judged for the tree and after a choice was made, the STEAM students used the school’s CNC (computer numerical control) machine – which was purchased by Boothbay Region Education Foundation – to cut the first couple of trees. Minerich said Friday that two of the 16 trees have been reserved.