JACKSON – Helping environmentalists of tomorrow take root today, Milken Educator and second grade Elms Elementary School teacher Shaina Brenner coordinated Green Career Day at her school.
“The purpose of our Green Career Day was to inspire and empower our students to contribute positively to our planet, and to that end, I sought out professionals and experts passionate about sustainability and environmental stewardship,” Brenner said.
Students from kindergarten through 5th grade listened to speakers discuss career paths in such fields as renewable energy, conservation, green technology and construction, environmental protection, recycling, agriculture and forestry, and eco-friendly initiatives.
Brenner remarked that, “our student Green Team members and our fifth grade Team Tiger leaders helped welcome our guest presenters and guide them to their first location. Our supportive PTN set up a welcome area for our guests complete with grab and go snacks and water.”
Fourth grade students Chase Milne and Melanie Hanson join Elms Principal Michael Burgos during Green Career Day. (Photo courtesy Jackson Schools)
“All the feedback I got from staff and students was all positive. The students were highly engaged and enthralled with their presenters who presented very valuable information and interesting for the kids,” she added.
The Jackson Education Association also sponsored the event. Each guest presenter was offered parting gifts: a packet of native pollinating flower seeds and a custom designed cookie, Brenner said.
“It was a good way to switch things up and include green careers and influence us. I liked how they gave us information about the different careers. The botanist was my favorite, because I like to garden and it’s nice to just go outside and appreciate nature,” 5th grade student Joseph Figueroa said.
Fellow 5th grader Beau Goffredo said, “my favorite part was how the people that came in wanted to teach us how to stay green. My favorite presenter was the one who taught us how to install solar panels.”
“I felt it was very important, because kids could learn stuff that they probably didn’t know. My favorite part about Green Career Day was learning about jobs I really didn’t know existed,” 2nd grade student Luciana Chionchio said.
The long list of guest speakers included the school district’s Energy Specialist, a 4-H Senior Program Coordinator, the senior director of the Rutgers University Office of Climate Change, members of the Ocean County Department of Solid Waste and various representatives from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Abe’s Acres Farm owner Gabriel Siciliano speaks with Elms Elementary School students during Green Career Day. (Photo courtesy Jackson Schools)
Other speakers included Gabriel Siciliano, owner of Abe’s Acres Farm; Joel Mott of the Pinelands Commission; Chris Claus, the chief park naturalist of the Ocean County Parks & Recreation; Megan Zorns, who serves as that agency’s principal park naturalist; Debbie Wyckoff of New Jersey Natural Gas; NJ Audubon Education Program Manager Roberta Hunter; and Rutgers Botanical Garden Superintendent Caitlin Venezia.
“I felt our presenters came prepared and saw that these are kids and how can I make it interesting for them,” Brenner added. “A lot of work went into it so it was really nice to get that positive response after the fact.”
Ocean County Department of Solid Waste members Tanara Hall, left, Margaret Deleon-Rivera, and Sandra Blain-Snow join Elms 2nd grade teacher Shaina Brenner during Green Career Day. (Photo courtesy Jackson Schools)
The Outdoor Environmental Learning Center & Garden that she mentioned is another point of excitement at the school. Brenner told The Jackson Times that the project that will be located in “the back of our school and is scheduled for completion this spring.”
“I got a grant for $10,000 from Sustainable New Jersey For Schools and we are working on this pollinator garden and we are really excited about it. It is more than just a pollinator garden but will be a huge environmental center in back of the school,” she added.
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