Cherry Hill Schools Receive $14K In Sustainable Grants

CHERRY HILL, NJ - Three schools in the Cherry Hill Public School District received Sustainable Jersey for Schools grants funded by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), officials announced this week.

Kingston Elementary School was one of 11 schools statewide to receive a $10,000 grant. Bret Harte Elementary School and the Alternative High School were among 36 schools to receive $2,000 grants.

With its $10,000 grant, Kingston will create an outdoor classroom to provide an alternative learning environment for students. The space will include standing work tables created by an alumna of Kingston who experienced challenges learning in a traditional classroom setting and wanted to create a permanent outdoor space for future students.

“The classroom will include raised garden beds, flexible seating, a mindfulness area and permanent stations providing information on local plants, trees and animals,” Kingston Elementary School Prinicipal William C. Marble said. “The concept for this project crystallized this year when Alex Caputo, a former Kingston student, donated several repurposed, decorated electrical spools to serve as outdoor tables. Alexa's idea for this Girl Scout Gold Service Project was based on her experiences and her belief that she would have benefited from an alternate classroom. So, for Alexa and all of the students at Kingston School who love to be outdoors, Kingston will now have a room with a view and a breeze."

The project includes partnerships with Sustainable Camden County, Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, Cherry Hill Public Library and Cherry Hill Education Association, Marble said.

The Alternative High School will use its grant for a pollinator garden. Bret Harte Elementary will use its grant for a sustainable lunchroom environment.

"The entire Cherry Hill Alternative High School community is thrilled to be the recipient of this Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant,” Alternative High School Principal Dr. Lawyer Chapman said. “Our students have done wonderful work with our vegetable garden, providing hundreds of pounds of produce to our local food pantry these past five years. We look forward to building the butterfly garden that this grant will fund, increasing our pollinator population and thereby boosting the bounty our vegetable garden produces."

"When we ask our students to be Harte SMART, we are really challenging them to be respectful of themselves, our school, and our community,” Bret Harte Elementary School Principal Dr. Neil Burti said. “The awarding of this grant reinforces our commitment to this mindset by aligning with two major components of our character education framework - student voice and sustainability. When children feel empowered to initiate change and take an active role, both locally and globally, all things seem possible."

With this contribution NJEA has provided $1 million to support a sustainable future for children across the state through the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program, according to officials.

“Every day in the news we hear more and more about the importance of recycling and creating eco-friendly products, as well as the value of using sustainable resources,” NJEA Vice President Sean M. Spiller said. “Our job as educators is to prepare the next generation with the skills, information, and resources to become engaged citizens and leaders in our efforts to save and protect our planet. NJEA is honored to continue to work with Sustainable Jersey on this important program that directs resources into our schools.”

In addition to the grant funding, NJEA supports Sustainable Jersey for Schools as a program underwriter.

“Our State’s students and teachers continue to inspire me with their passion for sustainability and commitment to New Jersey’s future,” Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon said. “We are proud to support their efforts with grant money to help realize their vision.”

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.

Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a certification program for public schools in New Jersey. It was launched by Sustainable Jersey, an organization that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support and reward municipalities and schools as they pursue sustainability programs.

To date, 325 school districts and 840 schools are participating in the program. Sustainable Jersey for Schools has awarded over $1.7 million in grants to schools and school districts. In 2019, Sustainable Jersey is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with a year-long campaign that will include special events to educate and engage the Sustainable Jersey community and create a vision for the future.

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