Ohio High School Students Cut Down 25 Trees As Senior Prank, Now Face Jail Time

A group of students from River Valley High School could be facing jail time after a senior prank that involved cutting down 25 trees on the school’s campus.

Faculty and students arrived at the school on Thursday to find that more than two dozen trees were toppled over after having been chopped at their bases. Students said the trees were cut as part of the Class of 2014’s senior prank, though not everyone agreed with that actions were merely a prank.

Police are now looking into the matter, saying the act could end up with criminal charges for at least two students are now under investigation. The two under investigation were reportedly caught on the school’s security cameras and identified as seniors at the school.

Investigators later found a total of five students believed to have been involved in the prank.

School officials said they are taking the senior prank seriously.

“I believe some seniors thought it was a prank,” Superintendent Jim Peterson said. “This is vandalism.”

Peterson said the trees were between 1 and 11 years old, and while he couldn’t put an exact total on the damage, he said it was “a lot more than $1,000.”

Many students disagreed with cutting down the trees as well. Some of the trees were planted in memory of people associated with the school, they noted.

“They did not need a senseless act of vandalism to make a name for themselves,” Coleman said.

But some River Valley High School juniors are already planning on making up for this year’s senior prank. A group has decided to replant the 25 trees cut down as their senior prank next year.