31 Schools and 4 School Districts Receive Grants for Sustainability Projects
on Jun 19, 2015
Today, Sustainable Jersey for Schools announced the 31 New Jersey schools and four school districts that were selected to receive a Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grant funded by the PSEG Foundation. This first cycle of grants will support initiatives including the planning of a green school building, achieving a no-foam cafeteria zone, implementing a district-wide green cleaning program, promotion of water hydration stations, development of school teaching gardens, sustainability education initiatives and more.
Currently, 81 districts and 220 schools have registered to work toward Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. “This is a win for schools across New Jersey. These grants, funded by the PSEG Foundation, will help support districts and schools as they participate in the first year of the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program,” said Donna Drewes, who co-directs Sustainable Jersey with Randall Solomon. “Grant funding will build capacity and support schools as they embark on sustainability projects.”
This is the inaugural funding cycle for the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program with $100,000 in funding from the PSEG Foundation for school districts and schools to use for sustainability projects. “A core element of the PSEG Foundation is directing funding and resources to schools to aid them in building stronger, more resilient communities,” said Ellen Lambert, President of the PSEG Foundation. “Through our Foundation giving, we support and partner with those organizations that set the pace and empower a brighter future.”
SUSTAINBLE JERSEY FOR SCHOOLS SMALL GRANTS RECIPIENTS (project descriptions below):
- Four $10,000 Grant Recipients: Egg Harbor Township School District, Middle Township Public School District, South Orange-Maplewood School District and Barack Obama Green Charter High School
- Thirty-one $2,000 Grant Recipients: Alder Avenue Middle School, Ann Blanche Smith Elementary School, Ashbrook Elementary School, Barclay School, Bartle Elementary School, Blairstown Elementary School, Bret Harte Elementary School, Cape May City Elementary School, Cherry Hill High-East High School, Clara Barton Elementary School, E.H. Slaybaugh Elementary School, Egg Harbor Township High School, Eugine A. Tighe Middle School, Fairfield Township School, Galloway Township Middle School, Green Hills Elementary School, Grover Cleveland Middle School, H. Russell Swift Elementary School, Hawes Elementary School, Henry C. Beck Middle School, Highland Park High School, Highland Park Middle School, Irving Primary, James Caldwell High School, Middle Township #4 Middle School, Millbridge Elementary School, Ocean City Intermediate School, Rutherford High School, Seth Boyden Elementary School, Von E. Mauger Middle School and Watchung Elementary School.
Proposals were judged by an independent Blue Ribbon Selection Committee. The Sustainable Jersey for Schools grants are intended to help school districts and schools make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification.
Recipients of $10,000 Sustainable Jersey for Schools Project Grants
School District | County | Project |
Egg Harbor Township School District | Atlantic | No-Foam Cafeteria Zone Project: Egg Harbor Township Schools, the largest district in Atlantic County, uses about 7,300 polystyrene cafeteria trays per day (1.3 million trays per year). Once used, the trays are not stacked and put into the trash can, they are discarded by students into trash cans taking up enormous amounts of space and requiring the use of many trash bags. These trays are thrown away and exported to landfills and/or incinerators. Grant funds will be used to decrease cafeteria waste by 50% and eliminate the use of polystyrene cafeteria trays completely in the future. |
Middle Township Public School District | Cape May | Sustainability Showcase Project: The grant funds will be used to convert Middle Township Elementary #4 (Middle) School Courtyard into a Sustainability Showcase for teachers, students, parents and community members in Cape May. The project involves installing a shed, polycarbonate greenhouse, rain barrels with drip lines, a 3-part compost bin, and a variety of native plants and shrubs. These additions will help teach students about extending the growing season, garden maintenance, low water gardening, food waste composting, and native plants, animals, and insects. A garden walkway and interpretive signs will be added to improve tours to educate students, parents and community members on sustainability. |
South Orange-Maplewood School District | Essex | Green Cleaning and Sustainability Program Launch: The grant award will be used to purchase high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) vacuums for district use and fund appropriate training for proper use of the vacuums as well as professional development in green cleaning in general. Funds will be used for the purchase of additional recycling containers for schools to support district-wide green team initiatives. |
Barack Obama Green Charter High School
| Union | Sustainable Plainfield Imagine I and II Project: The grant will be used to engage 11th and 12th graders in a school wide, interdisciplinary initiative through which they will be equal partners in the long-term process of planning and ultimately constructing a green school building that will also be used as a community learning center in Plainfield, NJ. |
Recipients of $2,000 Sustainable Jersey for Schools Project Grants
School | County | School District | Project Title |
Alder Avenue Middle School | Atlantic | Egg Harbor Township | Water Warriors: Access to healthy drinking water and water conservation |
E.H. Slaybaugh Elementary School | Atlantic | Egg Harbor Township | Going Green with H2O Inside and Out: Rain barrel system |
Egg Harbor Township High School | Atlantic | Egg Harbor Township | School Garden |
Eugine A. Tighe Middle School | Atlantic | Margate City | Sustainable Dining: Reduce non-recyclable and non-biodegradable waste from the school cafeteria |
Galloway Township Middle School | Atlantic | Galloway Township | Mr. B's Backyard Classroom: Support for field trips to Mr. B’s Backyard classroom |
H. Russell Swift Elementary School | Atlantic | Egg Harbor Township | Grow, Bloom, Learn Garden: School garden |
Ann Blanche Smith Elementary School | Bergen | Hillsdale | School Garden |
Hawes Elementary School | Bergen | Ridgewood | Hydroponic School Garden |
Rutherford High School | Bergen | Rutherford | Courtyard Restoration and Learning Center |
Ashbrook Elementary School | Burlington | Lumberton Township | Sustainable Wildlife Garden |
Millbridge Elementary School | Burlington | Delran Township | Rain Gardens for Recess: A green infrastructure installation/program to promote physical activity |
Barclay School | Camden | Cherry Hill | Cultivating Little Green Thumbs: School garden |
Bret Harte Elementary School | Camden | Cherry Hill | Innovating The Outdoor Classroom |
Cherry Hill High-East High School | Camden | Cherry Hill | Streamlining of Waste Disposal at East: Outreach campaign to increase recycling |
Clara Barton Elementary School | Camden | Cherry Hill | Live Green, Love Green, Go Green!: School garden and outdoor classroom |
Henry C. Beck Middle School | Camden | Cherry Hill | Working Together to Save the Planet: Interdisciplinary service learning project with Plastic Police, Bugging Out (saving the pollinators) and Air Ambassadors |
Cape May City Elementary School | Cape May | Cape May City | Let's Go Green: Funding for a waste-audit |
Middle Township #4 Middle School | Cape May | Middle Township | Courtyard Upgrade: Garden and composting |
Ocean City Intermediate School | Cape May | Ocean City | Go Green, Red Raiders: Distribution of reusable shopping bags with refillable water bottle, energy-efficient light bulb, tips on sustainability and more. |
Fairfield Township School | Cumberland | Fairfield Twp | Garden Education and Health/Wellness Program |
Grover Cleveland Middle School | Essex | Caldwell - West Caldwell | Sustainable Energy Design Challenges: Teaching sustainable energy |
James Caldwell High School | Essex | Caldwell - West Caldwell | EPC Service Learning: High school Environmental Protection Club (EPC)/green team will do service learning projects |
Seth Boyden Elementary School | Essex | South Orange-Maplewood | Strawberry Fields Teaching Garden: Support for teaching garden and launch of the green team |
Watchung Elementary School | Essex | Montclair | Watchung Reduces Waste and Increases Biodiversity: Recycling and biodiversity |
Bartle Elementary School | Middlesex | Highland Park | Outdoor Learning Classroom |
Highland Park High School | Middlesex | Highland Park | Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom |
Highland Park Middle School | Middlesex | Highland Park | Going Green at Highland Park Middle School through Education and Action: Sustainability education and creation of environmental club |
Irving Primary | Middlesex | Highland Park | Sustainable Water System/Pollinator Planting Project: Rain barrel and watering project |
Von E. Mauger Middle School | Middlesex | Middlesex Borough | Courtyard Beautification: Improvements to encourage environmental citizenship |
Green Hills Elementary School | Sussex | Green Township | Green Hills Garden: Building a teaching garden. |
Blairstown Elementary School | Warren | Blairstown Township | Summer Garden Program |
QUOTES FROM SELECT GRANTEES
“Words cannot express how excited and grateful we are about receiving this grant. This support from Sustainable Jersey for Schools will enable us to include another group of students in our Sustainable Plainfield projects: Imagine I and Imagine II. Through this project, students will gain real world experience, working with professionals throughout the nation and beyond to plan a green school building and community learning center.” - Steven King, Superintendent, Barack Obama Green Charter High School
“We are very proud to have been awarded Sustainable Jersey for Schools grants both as a district, and for one of our elementary schools. These awards will be invaluable as we continue our commitment to teaching students about sustainability, and modeling green practices ourselves.” - James Memoli, Acting Superintendent of the South Orange Maplewood School District
"The future begins here at Ann Blanche Smith Elementary School. It is our mission to educate our students so they can grow up to become global citizens who act responsibly maintaining the resources we have in our beautiful world." - Angela Iskenderian, Principal, Ann Blanche Smith Elementary School
“On behalf of the Clara Barton Elementary School Green Team and the entire school community, we are extremely honored and grateful to receive a Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grant. We look forward to utilizing the grant funds to help refurbish an outdoor classroom courtyard, making our school a more sustainable learning environment for all students and staff.” - Sean F. Sweeney, Principal, Clara Barton Elementary
"Sustainability is a priority in both New Jersey and at the national level and I'm so proud that the students have staff of Egg Harbor Township High School have committed to such an important cause." - Dr. Terry Charlton, Egg Harbor Township High School
“We are excited to receive this assistance in our first year as a sustainable school district! We look forward to accomplishing our goal to significantly reduce the amount of non-recyclable and non-biodegradable waste from our schools’ cafeterias, as well as address the problem of food waste.” - John DiNicola, Superintendent of Schools, Margate City School District, Director of Special Projects/Grants & Accountability Reporting, Director of the Dominick A. Potena Performing Arts Center, Municipal Alliance Chairperson
“Galloway Township Middle School is overjoyed to continue their journey with the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program. This amazing program has already had a monumental impact on our school climate and has encouraged our students to develop innovative methods to reduce waste while adding beauty to our school environment. Being awarded this grant will provide our students the opportunity to continue their work in Mr. B’s Backyard Classroom, with the abundance of learning opportunities that take place in our school’s hands-on, outdoor classroom. Support from Sustainable Jersey for Schools, will enable us to continue to expand this program to include the entire seventh grade science classes, as well as offer our Nature Fest to three schools and our Galloway Township community.” - Paula Junker, Principal, Galloway Township Middle School
“We are so excited to receive the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Small Grant! We look forward to working with students to create an Environmental Club and Green Team to promote environmental awareness within the school and the community. Thank you so much for this opportunity to enhance our sustainability efforts!” - Ms. Donna Malouf, Principal, Highland Park Middle School
"Thank you to Sustainable Jersey for choosing Swift Elementary School to be one of the grant recipients. First Grade teacher Melissa Newhall had applied for the grant in hopes of creating school gardens to expand student understanding of biology and ecology through hands on learning. Classes will have the opportunity take ownership of a raised garden. They will plant, maintain, and observe outcomes throughout the year. The students will enhance their knowledge of the natural world, where food originates, and why clean water, air, and soil are so important. We are so excited to embark on this venture. Again, thank you to Sustainable Jersey for giving us this opportunity!" - Patricia Connor, Principal, Swift Elementary School, Egg Harbor Township
"Middle Township Middle School is excited to take action to implement the ideas conveyed in our grant proposals. We are grateful to have been selected and look forward to using the funds in such a way that sustainability and conservation efforts will lay a foundation for our future. We look to emulate the words of Go Green Initiative founder Jill Buck, when she states, “It’s not enough to prepare our children for the future…we must prepare the future for our children.” Thank you for allowing us the funds to make strides in setting up a future that will enable us to prosper globally." - Dr. David Salvo, Superintendent, Middle Township Public School District
"Our Millbridge Green Team has been a catalyst for implementing concrete, building wide strategies that demonstrate environmentally friendly practices." -Kimberly Hickson, Principal, Millbridge Elementary School, Burlington County
"We are thrilled to receive this Sustainable Jersey grant. The grant will allow our school to provide outdoor classroom space, hydroponic and aquaponic gardening, and develop plant husbandry and sustainable agriculture concepts for our student body. This grant will foster a continued interest in the environment and vigilance towards the importance of sustainability and how it can be incorporated into daily life." - Frank Morano, Principal of Rutherford High School
“As the Science and Technology magnet school within the Montclair Public School District, we strive to educate all stakeholders (students, staff, families) in being environmentally sound. This grant will allow us to continue on our school wide mission of continuous environmental sustainability throughout the entire school community.” - Joseph Schmidt, Principal, Watchung School, Montclair
“The Barclay Early Childhood Center is pleased to accept the grant from Sustainable Jersey for Schools/ PSEG Foundation. As educators of pre-school children, we feel an urgency to educate our young students in all aspects of sustainability. They are the future stewards of our environment and their generation will hopefully make wise and thoughtful choices for our planet. Little Green Thumbs will provide opportunities for our students to make a connection with their environment. We look forward to the opportunities provided by the funding in order to bring our ideas to fruition.” - Karen Rockhill, Principal, Barclay Early Childhood Center, Camden County