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38 IDAHO FALLS MAGAZINE JULY 2023 e Mountain Bluebird has been Idaho's state bird since 1931, the Syringa as the state flower since 1931, the Western White Pine as the state tree since 1935, the Star Garnet as the state gem since 1967, the Cutthroat trout as the state fish since 1990 and the Wild Huckleberry as the state fruit since 2000. But, did you know Idaho hadn't adopted a state dinosaur until 2023? With the help of Joel Walton, a 4th grade teacher at the Ucon Elementary, and his class full of ambitious and determined students, Idaho now has a state dinosaur, the Oryctodromeus. Mr. Walton and his class's mission for Idaho to adopt a state dinosaur began in 2022. One student's love for dino- saurs and a lesson on state symbols sparked the ques- tion, why doesn't Idaho have a state dinosaur? "I had a student who was crazy about dinosaurs," Joel said. "One day I was quizzing the class asking, 'What is the state dance? What is the state flower?' en I thought and asked this student, 'Why don't we have a state dino- saur?'" e class's newfound inspi- ration led them to reach out to Idaho State University paleontologist L.J. Krumen- acker, who already knew ex- actly what dinosaur the class should lobby for. "He came to our class and educated us about this dinosaur," Joel said. "en we decided to How a Group of 4th Grade Students Created History By Maudie Heard BEFORE If you've been unhappy with your weight and are looking for a positive solution, the EMPOWER program at Bingham Healthcare might be right for you! Appointments are available in Blackfoot, Idaho Falls & Pocatello. Start Your Journey Today! (208) 782-3993 IdahoEmpower.com SCAN TO LEARN MORE 4823-14BinghamMemorialHospital13v.indd 1 4823-14BinghamMemorialHospital13v.indd 1 5/31/23 3:29 PM 5/31/23 3:29 PM