By Elizabeth Bernardi

On Broadway’s median, just across from Foss Park, sits a green-and-red sign advertising the Somerville Public Schools Christmas Tree Sale. Each day for the last two weeks, Somerville teens from the city’s alternative schools have cut, carried and sold trees to residents in need of some holiday atmosphere.

Full Circle and Next Wave Principal David Willey would not specify how much money the sale has made in past years, or how much he expects it will take in this year, saying only, “We do pretty well.” Full Circle is the city’s alternative high school and Next Wave is a junior high school for students identified as having special academic, emotional, or behavioral challenges. Willey said the money that is raised will cover the field trips and special events, such as ski and camping trips, for both schools.

Now in its 11th year, the fundraiser originated with a staff member who had helped with a Boy Scouts tree sale in Cambridge and brought the idea to Somerville. In its first few years, Willey said, the sale grew, but now it has leveled out. This year, Willey said that 400 trees were ordered, along with a large selection of wreaths that arrived from Nova Scotia via Woburn’s Spence Farms the week after Thanksgiving.

“The goal is to order what we think we can sell and to sell them all, most years we end up with a few left over,” said Willey, “but those are usually pretty scraggly.” If business is better than expected, Willey said, they can place a second order mid-month.

Of the 90 students at the two schools, Willey said that 30 will volunteer to take at least one shift on weekends or after school at the tree sale this year.

Full Circle student Rey Rodriguez is one student volunteer. He said this is his third year selling trees in Foss Park. During a recent shift Rodriguez  stopped here and there to say hello to customers he recognized, and said he sees a lot of folks he knows while working his shifts.

He said that he has gained some skills from slinging Christmas trees for three years.
“I’ve learned how to tie trees on top of a car,” he said, as he helped a customer pick out a wreath, “so they don’t fall down on the highway.”

The sale is open Monday to Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tree prices range from $19 to $49.