FIRST UP, is the amazing +ART STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATH) = STEAM Project led by fabulous Music Teacher John Flora in partnership with Science Teacher Mrs. Wusu at MS #7, one of Jersey City’s newest Eco Schools !! Supported financially by the Grammy and Honeywell Foundations, I received this email today –

I'm glad I collaborated with science teacher Mrs. Wusu this school year for a unique S.T.E.A.M. initiative! First, we selected an 8th grade class based on our shared schedule. Then, we used our training and resources from the Honeywell Ecosystems Institute this past summer, in addition to supplemental curriculum and resources from the GRAMMY Museum in L.A. We wanted students to see the relationship between watershed and biodiversity. Our final theme became: "Our City and Nature: Songs of Biodiversity". Hopefully, homeroom 217 will never forget the cross-curricular lesson plans we exposed them to, thanks in a big way to many of the individuals and organizations involved in this email.

This initiative has offered kids the opportunity to be intimately engaged with our urban ecology and nature’s happenings here in JC – yes amongst our hardscapes NATURE IS HAPPENING ! Get inspired !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9dWbtzs1eQ&feature=youtu.be

Come on out if your schedule permits – applaud these kids on Thursday 5/26 at 6:30pm in the MS#7 auditorium at their annual Spring Concert for family/friends, 222 Laidlaw Avenue, for any who can join to congratulate these students.

SECOND UP, and this one needs some $$$ Folks !! TEAM WILDERNESS TAKING KIDS OFF CITY STREETS TO LEARN TEAMWORK ON MOUNTAIN PEAKS, founded by Steve Cunningham and incubated at Snyder HS will offer kids the opportunity to intimately engage with nature OUTSIDE OF JERSEY CITY and promises the opportunity to develop our young people’s leadership skills and HATCH THEIR CHARACTERS into new inspiring choices they will make as a result of this experience. Here’s more about this new organization and how to donate https://www.ioby.org/project/team-wilderness-taking-kids-city-streets-learn-teamwork-mountain-peaks

We’re 95% there – helps us over the finish line !!

SJC is doing cartwheels over these and other initiatives spearheaded by Teacher Champions, Principals, Vice Principals and the Superintendents Office – the JC School District is challenged in many ways, as we all know, but we should take great pride in the fact that VERY GOOD things are happening and some very innovative, project based learning opportunities are emerging for our kids, both inside curriculum based initiatives and thru independent and innovative program offerings like the above – synergies move the needle and now is the time for all of us to LEAN IN, CREATE MORE. That’s the new culture of Jersey City ~

More about SJC's Sustainable Schools initiative here.