Sustainability in Action

Jose Julian Marti School 28 opened the first outdoor classroom in the Elizabeth School District. The school celebrated the milestone with a ribbon cutting ceremony, marking a significant step forward in outdoor learning and student well-being. The students created the ribbon for the ceremony by using sustainable materials including packing paper, jute twine, sunflowers, pruned herbs, and tree branches that were all composted after the ceremony.

Located adjacent to the school’s garden, the new outdoor classroom offers students and teachers a space to connect with nature while supporting social-emotional development and academic success. The project was made possible by a $2,000 Sustainable Jersey grant funded by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). With this addition, Juan Pablo Duarte – Jose Julian Marti School 28 is cultivating a future where learning thrives—inside and outside the classroom.

At the heart of this initiative is Naomi Montalvo, a pre-K teacher and the School Garden Coordinator, who has dedicated 21 years to the district. Her leadership in the school’s farm to school efforts has been instrumental in turning this vision into reality. Over the course of a year, middle school students collaborated with Montalvo to design and build the space, creating an environment that encourages both learning and wellness.

“I’m so proud of what the students, staff, and community have accomplished,” said Montalvo. “We are hopeful that faculty members will use the space to allow students to interact with nature through different activities or simply enjoy an occasional break from the confines of the four walls in a traditional classroom.”
 
The outdoor classroom includes seating, tables, and educational resources that complement the existing food, pollinator, and sensory gardens. It serves not only as a place for instruction but also as a reflective space for students and teachers alike. Outdoor learning is shown to improve academic performance, support mental health, and enhance physical well-being. The Union County Board of Commissioners recognized School 28’s achievement with a formal resolution, applauding the positive impact this space will have on the school community.

What began as a local passion project in the rural residential community of East Greenwich Township has grown into a hub of environmental education and ecological restoration frequented by members of the township and numerous visitors. The park has drawn garden clubs, environmental organizations, and conservation groups from surrounding communities and, most recently, the Southwest Chapter of the New Jersey Native Plant Society. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the East Greenwich Green Team and Environmental Commission, Mickleton Park is now home to an outdoor environmental information center—a great example of what community collaboration can achieve.

The most visible part of the transformation is an information kiosk, which features eight bulletin boards with rotating exhibits on environmental topics. Displays educate park visitors about landscaping with native plants; invasive plants in East Greenwich; attracting and supporting pollinators and birds; importance of leaf litter; spotted lanternfly removal; the importance of providing soft landings under trees, and many other environmental topics. In addition, eight pamphlet distribution boxes provide information and resources that help residents take sustainable action in their own yards. The kiosk is directly adjacent to a pollinator garden, which serves as both an educational and demonstration tool. It includes over 60 plant species, and each is marked with a QR code that can be scanned to bring visitors to a landing page for more information.

A key component of the ongoing revitalization is a newly created native plant nursery, established with support from the township’s Public Works Department. The area, complete with fencing, a pergola, and access to water, hosts native trees, shrubs, and perennials that are used to replace invasive species that are removed by East Greenwich Green Team volunteers. This sustainable cycle of nurturing, removing, and replanting will continue as part of long-term park management.

“I’m so proud of our Environmental Commission and green team,” said Chris Nelson, chair of the East Greenwich Township Environmental Commission. “This group that has never faltered in its commitment to improving our community with boots on the ground and fingers in the dirt.”

In still another area of the park, the green team and Environmental Commission are currently in the process of establishing an outdoor environmental reading room–an 18-by-12-foot gazebo accompanied by little library boxes stocked with over 100 children’s books, largely focused on environmental education and sustainability. It will be a quiet spot where people can read to themselves or to others and hopefully inspire in them a lasting interest in the environment.

These projects were supported by Sustainable Jersey grants funded by Atlantic City Electric and the PSEG Foundation totaling $25,000, and have inspired additional funding from other sources that support their ongoing barrier restoration and soft landing projects.

“From the pros in our outstanding Public Works Department to the volunteers in the Environmental Commission and green team, this town consistently demonstrates how cooperation and careful planning lead to great things,” said Committeewoman Eileen Hollingshead, Township Committee liaison to the Environmental Commission.

In Lawrence Township, curiosity and adventure were the only requirements for a group of young explorers who participated in the Nature Detectives series, an engaging, hands-on experience designed to cultivate environmental awareness and naturalist skills in children.

Held on Wednesday evenings at the Anne Demarais Nature Center, the Lawrence Recreation Nature Detectives program invited kindergarten through second grade students to explore the wonders of the natural world. Led by retired teachers, each session combined education with fun, using visuals, slideshows, crafts, and outdoor exploration to bring science and nature to life. The program featured a rich variety of weekly themes, including animal detectives; states of matter; geology; monarch butterflies; and young engineers.

Children had the opportunity to become real nature detectives at local sites like Drexel Woods and Shabakunk Creek. Armed with magnifying glasses and microscopes, they examined plants, insects, creek water, and more. Activities included building kick nets to observe aquatic life and creating nature-inspired artwork using natural materials.

Nancy Bergen, Superintendent of Recreation for Lawrence Township shared, “We love this program because it encourages kids to be curious about the outdoors. Whether it’s gardening, taking nature walks, exploring the creek, or simply observing the environment, it’s all about helping them connect with nature in fun and meaningful ways.”

Currently certified at the silver-level with Sustainable Jersey, Lawrence Township is preparing its application for 2025 recertification. The Nature Detectives program is a great example of how early, hands-on learning can inspire a lifelong appreciation for science, engineering, and the natural world, one curious child at a time.

At Deal Elementary School, students aren’t just learning science, they’re living it. These young learners are growing their own food and cultivating stewardship through an innovative aquaponics greenhouse, made possible with support from a $10,000 Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant funded by the New Jersey Education Association.

The Wellness Greenhouse has become the heart of the school’s sustainable learning initiatives. Blending Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) with environmental science and social-emotional learning (SEL), the space supports hands-on education while fostering mindfulness, responsibility, and community connection.

“At Deal School we embrace project and problem based activities that allow students increased ownership of their learning and the opportunity for real world application of concepts,” said Superintendent of Schools Donato J. Saponaro, Jr. “The greenhouse is a space that brings us together and supports wellness for our students and staff, parents, as well as many local community organizations.”

The greenhouse’s aquarium allows students to observe and interact with the fish, an integral part of the closed-loop aquaponics ecosystem. This system offers real-world applications across multiple subjects. It has been used in science classes, passion projects in the Navigators/Gifted and Talented program, and as a mindfulness space through SEL and School Counseling programs.

Students collaborate with agricultural and aquaponics experts, gaining firsthand experience in system maintenance and crop harvesting. To increase year-round growing capacity, the school expanded the hydroponic stacks and the aquaponics system that was built in partnership with Drop the Beet Farms. Cody Parker, founder of Drop The Beet Farms, served as the aquaponics consultant and led students in a summer project to set up the system.

Looking ahead, Deal Elementary hopes to grow more crops, both aquaponically and in traditional beds, to enrich classroom learning and allow students to bring home fresh harvests for their families. For some, the greenhouse offers a peaceful retreat for stress relief; for others, it’s a place of responsibility and pride as they care for the fish and ensure the system runs smoothly.

Deal Elementary School has achieved Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification four times, including twice at the prestigious silver-level.