Past winners of Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Species on the Edge Art & Essay Contest recently joined us at Jenkinson’s Aquarium for a fun and educational tour. Our guide, Carol, gave students a behind-the-scenes look at the many animals, including the opportunity to get up close and personal at the touch tank.
(From Left) CWF Executive Director David Wheeler, Claire Ang of Marine Academy for Science & Technology, CWF Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio, 1st Place Winner Ethan Chang, 3rd Place Winner Olivia Gemarro, Honorable Mention Nina Colagiovanni, Honorable Mention Sarina Schmidt, Maria Spina of PSEG Foundation and Russell Furnari of PSEG Services Corporation
Hundreds of high school students from across the state competed in Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s “Species on the Edge 2.0 Multimedia Contest”, engaging more than 23,000 people on social media with messages of wildlife protection. Of the entrants, three select winners earned scholarship funds.
“Today’s high schoolers grow up with an inherent expertise with technology and multimedia, yet it is far too easy for them to grow disconnected from the stunning nature and wildlife all around us. This contest utilizes their talents for technology to engage thousands of people across New Jersey and beyond with the wonders of wildlife – and a reminder for all of us to balance our lives by getting outdoors as well as online,” said David Wheeler, Executive Director of the nonprofit Conserve Wildlife Foundation.
Thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsor PSEG, Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s third annual multimedia contest focused on social media, giving students the opportunity to submit an original social media campaign showing why wildlife is important to protect and preserve in New Jersey and beyond. Winners were recognized this summer at a ceremony at PSE&G headquarters in Newark.
In addition to the student winners, CWF recognized Claire Ang, a marine science teacher from the Marine Academy for Science and Technology. Ms. Ang’s exceptional leadership engaged her high school in the contest, raising awareness about species protection.
Fifteen-year old Ethan Chang from Woodbridge High School won first place, while second and third place winners were Caitlyn Drace from Woodbridge High School and Olivia Gemarro from the Marine Academy of Science and Technology. In addition, Sarina Schmidt of Manchester Township High School and Nina Colagiovanni of Point Pleasant Beach High School were recognized for their wildlife videos. Each of the honorees plan to pursue wildlife conservation in various ways.
All three winners were awarded a gift bag, scholarships, and a special invitation to an eco-tour at Sedge Islands. Off the coast of Barnegat Bay, winners will have the unique opportunity to spend the day fishing, clamming, and wildlife watching.
Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio said, “The Species on the Edge 2.0 contest capitalizes on high school students’ expertise with social media platforms and provides them with the opportunity to showcase their talents, creativity, and their love for nature. This year’s contest allows high school students to advocate for wildlife conservation and to help raise awareness on social media about the importance of preserving and protecting wildlife.”
PSEG’s commitment to environmental stewardship made the contest possible by supporting funding for the scholarships. PSEG is a leader in conservation and restoration projects, including efforts to increase numbers of pollinators in the state.
The video submissions for Species on the Edge 2.0 can be viewed here.
Fifth graders from across New Jersey recognized for their talent and conservation advocacy
On Thursday, June 1, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey and sponsors PSEG, New Jersey Education Association, Church & Dwight, GAF, and ShopRite celebrated and recognized the winners of the 2017 Species on the Edge Art & Essay Contest at the NJEA building in Trenton, New Jersey.
DONATIONS TO BENEFIT CWF WILDLIFE EDUCATION PROGRAMS
By Emily Hofmann
Newark 5th-graders enjoy a day at the beach exploring nature as part of CWF’s WILDCHILD Program for underserved youth.
Connecting kids with the natural world around them does wonders for their health and self-esteem, builds leadership skills, and often fosters a love of science at a very young age.
And nothing awakens that environmental awareness like wildlife!
Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s exciting hands-on programs – classroom presentations, field trips, live wildlife, and webcam lessons – teach children about the state’s rare wildlife and the need to protect it. And while some schools can cover the costs of these lessons, far too many can’t afford programs and field trips.
Through December 31, all donations to Conserve Wildlife Foundation to support our education and outreach to under-served schools will be generously matched by the Merrill G. & Emita E. Hastings Foundation. This will greatly strengthen CWF’s ability to provide equitable opportunities for children in at-risk areas to become environmental stewards.
Thanks to that generosity, a donation of $25 will be worth $50, and a donation of $100 will be worth $200.
Learning about the eagles, ospreys, bats, peregrine falcons, butterflies, and other animals that might share their neighborhood engages kids with their environment,” says Liz Silvernail, CWF Director of Development. “Our education helps open children’s eyes to the wonders of wildlife and nature, regardless of whether their school can pay for our programming.”
This holiday season, CWF encourages supporters to give the gift with an enduring legacy for the next generation of scientists!
We had the pleasure of interviewing our 2016 Women & Wildlife Education honoree, Tanya Sulikowski, and are pleased to share some excerpts below.
As a Program Manager at Duke Farms, 2016 Women & Wildlife Education Award Winner Tanya Sulikowski works tirelessly to connect New Jersey’s people and wildlife. A champion in environmental education, she hosts hands-on creative projects that include bird banding and monitoring, as well as rain gardens and barrels just to name a few. However, Ms. Sulikowski considers her creation of the Teen Action and Leadership Opportunities for Nature program to be her greatest professional achievement because it inspires urban students to make lifestyle changes that incorporate their newly discovered love of nature. Her reach has extended statewide through her various roles within the Alliance for NJ Environmental Educators, where she currently serves as Vice President. Continue reading “Duke Farms’ Tanya Sulikowski Honored for her Conservation Education”
It’s that time of year again. The trees around us, in our yards, on our streets, and in our forests are shedding their leaves with each gentle breeze or strong gust of wind. A dazzling display of colors drew tourists to gaze at our Northeast forests. After the brief but beautiful show, the leaves drift to the ground to litter the forest floor.
Our red, white, and black oaks, red and sugar maples, american beech, hickory, and cherries and other deciduous trees that dominate New Jersey forests all drop their broad leaves on cue. The few evergreen firs, spruce, and pines that we have hold on to their needle-leaves and contribute to the little greenery we have in the landscape until the following spring. Continue reading “Autumn in New Jersey: Why Do Trees Shed Their Leaves?”
While many have been busy mourning the end of summer in anticipation of colder weather and longer nights, the changing leaves outside are indicative of an incredible natural process that too often goes unappreciated – not for its lack of beauty, but the science behind it.
Some years it feels as though we barely get to experience the fall season before we jump into winter, but the fall foliage this year has been a beautiful spectacle so far. Here at CWF, we are suddenly presented with a magnificent backdrop of oranges, reds and yellows in our field work with so many wildlife species in our mountains and forests.
Yet as you go outside to explore and enjoy the season, it might be worth asking, why exactly do leaves change color?
To put it simply: Trees are preparing for winter.
Throughout the spring and summer months, leaves work overtime to provide and store nutrients for the tree. How? The sun triggers the production of chlorophyll, which is a pigment found inside leaves that gives them their green color. Over the warm months, chlorophyll absorbs sunlight and converts carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and carbohydrates, respectively. This complex process is known as photosynthesis and is vital to the health of the tree.
As the days shorten and the nights get longer, exposure to the sun is naturally limited and the production of chlorophyll slows considerably, until eventually it is broken down completely. As the chlorophyll is absorbed by the tree for the long winter ahead, other pigments that exist in the leaves become more visible, ultimately exposing the red, orange and yellow hues we see during the fall.
So, the next time you go outside to marvel at the beautiful fall colors, don’t forget to appreciate just how hardworking nature truly is!
Corrine Henn is a communications coordinator for Conserve Wildlife Foundation
Conserve Wildlife Foundation brought three conservation-themed summer learning experiences to the New Jersey coast.
By: Kendall Miller
I went back to “camp” this summer, seeing schoolkids learn first-hand about wildlife and what biologists do. CWF offered three summer learning experiences for the first time, each with a different theme, content, and location.
Observing the kids’ excitement and enthusiasm for nature was uplifting, and I was also impressed with how knowledgeable they all were. Offering hands-on opportunities – to learn about wildlife while experiencing these habitats – is so important in fostering an appreciation in the younger generations.
“Education is a major goal of CWF’s mission. Through project-based, experiential learning, we hope that camps like these leave impressions with children,” said CWF Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio, who developed the new program. “While we are out having fun, we are also learning about the importance of protecting and preserving wildlife and their habitats in New Jersey.”
This summer was a great start, and CWF is excited for the years to come!
Bayshore Adventure at Leonardo Marina Seining, special wildlife guests and sandcastles along the Raritan Bayshore!
Located in the harbor, across from Sandy Hook, noisy terns and gulls fight over their catches as kids arrive in the morning to spend the part of their day learning about the bayshore environment. Sunny, sand-filled learning about marine and coastal wildlife and habitats, seining for coastal creatures, mini-science activities and special guests were balanced with a healthy dose of wiffleball games and sandcastle-building contests.
Kids met biologist and beach nesting bird manager Todd Pover. He talked about – of course – the piping plover, and issues with conserving threatened and endangered beach nesting birds.NJ State Park police officer Karl Mott and K9 Kelly, a police dog who finds lost cellphones, wallets, and even people. Campers were able to see her in action and participate in hiding drills.
Wildlife Explorer Program at Duke Farms Raptors, art and orchids on a North Jersey nature oasis!
Set in the lovely Duke Farms in Hillsborough, every day of this week-long camp was a new and exciting experience featuring different types of wildlife! Kids spent time exploring the grounds at Duke, played games and explored their creativity through art projects alongside famed artist James Fiorentino, met real life biologists and best of all – got up close and personal with all kinds of raptors (like the red-tailed hawk below), amphibians and reptiles. These memorable experiences will hopefully cement in their minds the importance of being stewards to their environment.
Campers explored the Orchid Range and saw a collection of plants from all over the world.Bill Streeter of Delaware Valley Raptor Center visited to talk about amazing birds of prey, bringing with him their resident educational birds. Campers sat in awe of these raptors like this red-tailed hawk.
Beach.Birds.Biology A day afield with a beach nesting birds biologist!
Shorebird biologists know the importance of educating people about the plight of beach nesting birds in New Jersey, who rely on the beaches that people flock to in the summertime. So on three different occasions, parents signed their kids up to spend a day on the beach learning about these birds with CWF biologist, Emily Heiser – like the piping plover, American oystercatcher, black skimmer and least tern. Kids got to practice being wildlife biologists. They used spotting scopes to read tags on decoy birds and searched for camouflaged eggs in the sand. The day was also filled with games, beach scavenger hunts, and a fun poster drawing project to be put on display.
Campers spot some plovers and oystercatchers feeding in vernal pools along the inlet at Barnegat Light.After learning about the plight of beach nesting birds, the kids got creative by drawing signs to be posted near nesting and feeding sites.
For more information about these educational programs, please visit our website at www.ConserveWildlifeNJ.org , or contact our Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio at (609) 292-9451.
Kendall Miller is a Program Coordinator at Conserve Wildlife Foundation.
Manville School District science teacher Lauren Kurzius joined biologists to help band Duke Farms EagleCam chicks earlier this month
by Lindsay McNamara, Communications Manager
2016 Lesson Plan Winner Lauren Kurzius
Manville School District science teacher Lauren Kurzius was recognized by Duke Farms and Conserve Wildlife Foundation for winning our EagleCam lesson plan contest earlier this month! Kurzius joined wildlife biologists to help band the new Duke Farms EagleCam chicks on Monday, May 9. The EagleCam lesson plan contest, jointly organized by Duke Farms and Conserve Wildlife Foundation, called upon educators to submit lesson plans incorporating the Duke Farms EagleCam into their classrooms.
Installed in 2008, the Duke Farms’ EagleCam has provided a streaming look into the daily lives of the eagle family for over 10 million viewers. Kurzius is working with the Duke Farms and Conserve Wildlife Foundation EagleCam team to expand the camera’s potential as an educational vehicle by including her lesson plan for use in classrooms across the country.
“Duke Farms is pleased once again to support dedicated New Jersey teachers that bring wildlife ecology into their classrooms. Lauren Kurzius’ winning lesson plan (“Birds of Prey – Who Done it?”) is a terrific introduction to predator-prey interactions, patterns among organisms, and ecosystem viability while allowing them to take on the role of student detective” explained Michael Catania, Duke Farms Executive Director. “Her participation in this year’s banding of the Duke eagle chicks was one of the highlights for our staff, and certainly a thrill for her students in Manville, New Jersey to watch.”
The EagleCam became a prominent teaching tool in Kurzius’ classroom in 2013. She had begun viewing the eagles in 2011 and recognized its potential for using it in the classroom immediately. Regarding the banding process, she says it was “priceless,” adding, “I connected with educators, scientists, and environmentalists. I get to share that with my current students and my future students. When you have new experiences, it leads to authentic teaching. Maybe my experience will inspire one of my students to follow a career path in science and that makes the banding all worth it.”
From left to right: David Wheeler, Lauren Kurzius, Duke Farms Programs and Community Garden Manager Tanya Sulikowski, Duke Farms Executive Director Michael Catania.
CWF’s David Wheeler stated that “by exploring science with creativity and a sense of wonder, Lauren Kurzius inspires her students to connect with the natural world around us. That personal connection reveals just how much people can strengthen the environment and benefit wildlife like bald eagles, which have made an awe-inspiring comeback. The Duke Farms webcam offers Lauren’s students and so many others the opportunity to intimately experience the lives of these magnificent creatures.”
We were thrilled at the enormous response received from teachers across the state, and will continue to offer the amazing opportunity to teachers in New Jersey! Congratulations, Lauren!
School Programs Available for Students Grades K-12
by Lindsay McNamara, Communications Manager
Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio with students from Memorial School in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.
Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio has been out on the road educating students throughout New Jersey about rare wildlife. Last month, Stephanie gave over ten presentations and outreach events, reaching 1,400 children and adults.
Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio with students from Memorial School in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.Director of Education Stephanie DAlessio with students from Memorial School in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.
Stephanie offers specialized programs tailored for your students’ needs and interests! For more information about scheduling a classroom program with Conserve Wildlife Foundation, visit our website.
Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s exciting hands-on programs – classroom presentations, field trips, live wildlife, and webcam lessons – teach children about the state’s rare wildlife and the need to protect it. And while some schools can cover the costs of these lessons, far too many can’t afford programs and field trips.
