Schools

Potter Creek Crusaders Named "Guardians Of Barnegat Bay"

Students from Berkeley Township Elementary School's outdoor environmental program to be honored at Barnegat Bay Festival today

 

They are an elite group, carefully culled for their love of the environment and commitment to Barnegat Bay.

The Potter Creek Crusaders - a group of Berkeley Township Elementary School students - will recognized today at the Barnegat Bay Festival in Island Heights as "Guardians of Barnegat Bay."

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"I think it's a great honor," said retired teacher Lois Schoeck, one of three women who helped found the Crusaders back in 2008.

The Crusaders is an after-school group of sixth-graders with a passion for their local environment and the relationship between the Potter Creek subwatershed and the Barnegat Bay estuary.

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The club has grown every year since it began back in 2008. Students participate in hands-on environmental investigative experiences and document information with photographs.

At the end of each school year, they publish a book of their photographs, which is available at local libraries.  The students share their work with the community through their photography, presentations, exhibits, and a website. 

Since its inception in the 2008-2009 school year with a mini-grant from the Barnegat Bay Partnership, the program has gone from publishing a 15-page, hard-cover book to a 40-page book. The program this year is funded by the Little Stuff Fund and the school district. OceanFirst Bank has also been a major supporter of the Crusaders, Schoeck said.

“While the plants and animals are often the same, every child views what they see differently and the photos they take reflect that,’’ Schoeck said.

The program, run by Schoeck, Catherine Palagonia and Joyce Mielner - consists of students who have to meet a number of criteria in order to be selected for the group.

Students take a survey in the fifth grade designed to gauge their commitment to the environment.

"We take out those that don't fit the criteria," Shoeck said. "We are trying to get the students really involved in the program. We don't pick kids who are on five or six (sports) teams because they would never get here."

The Potter Creek Crusaders are one of only three individuals or organizations to be honored this year. The Crusaders were picked for the "Community Caretaker" category.

The awards ceremony starts at 12:15 p.m. at the Wanamaker Complex in Island Heights. The Barnegat Bay Festival will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.

For more information on the Potter Creek Crusaders, go to the school website at www.btboe.org/bts/BTES/

Related Topics: Barnegat Bay Estuary, Berkeley Township Elementary School, Berkeley Township schools, New Jersey Pinelands, and Potter Creek Crusaders

 

 


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