Link Community Charter School Receives $600K Grant for Electric Buses

Link Community Charter School in Newark has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Electric School Bus Grant Program. This funding will enable the school to purchase two electric school buses, providing a clean transportation option for students.

“Families in our community already deal with significant environmental impact, and we don’t want to add to the health concerns already impacting us,” said María Pilar Paradiso, Head of School at Link Community Charter School. “This grant enables us to provide cleaner transportation for our students and make a positive impact on our school community.”

The Electric School Bus Grant Program aims to reduce emissions from older diesel engines, which are a significant source of air pollution. This initiative is particularly important for families in Newark and surrounding districts who face daily exposure to harmful pollutants.

“We want to do our part to make sure our students grow up in a community where clean air is a priority,” continued Paradiso. “When we invest in green solutions, we invest in the well-being of every family in our community. Sustainable practices benefit everyone.”

The zero-emission school buses will allow Link to create a couple of daily bus routes and to support its field trip program throughout the year, helping to reduce the community’s overall carbon footprint.

“Incorporating electric school buses at our school is a fantastic way to demonstrate real-world applications of what we teach in science class,” said Susanne Boyle, elementary school science teacher at Link Community Charter School. “It is one thing to talk about ways we can help our planet and improve the air we breathe and another for scholars to see it in action every day.”

About Link Community Charter School
Link Community Charter School is a public charter school, located in Newark, NJ, serving scholars from Newark, Irvington, East Orange, and Orange. Link bridges both the achievement gap and the opportunity gap by supporting the academic and personal growth of all scholars and placing them in exemplary competitive high schools. In September of 2021, Link began to add an elementary school to its 50 plus year middle school model. It will continue to add a great level each year until it reaches a full Kindergarten to 8th grade elementary school. To submit an application for the 2024-25 school year, please select Link Community Charter School on the Newark Common App. For more information about Link Community Charter School, please visit www.linkschool.org or email admissions@linkschool.org.