Sustainable Jersey for Schools recently announced the 38 New Jersey public schools and districts selected to receive Sustainable Jersey for Schools grants funded by the New Jersey Education Association.

Thirteen $10,000 grants and 25 $2,000 grants were distributed to support a variety of projects, including hydroponics and aeroponics systems; outdoor school gardens; outdoor classrooms; food waste, recycling, and waste reduction initiatives, including disposable water bottle reduction programs; composting and capturing biogas as a sustainable energy source; biodiversity projects and pollinator gardens; sustainability, STEAM and climate change curriculum; bike racks and maintenance stations; equitable communications training; green team capacity building and more.

“Our investment and partnership with Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a testament to our commitment to support a sustainable future for our students across the state,” said New Jersey Education Association President Sean M. Spiller. “We are so proud to be part of a program that directs resources right into our classrooms and communities. Our children have inherited an environment that is fraught with problems, from climate change, and plastic and trash clogging rivers and oceans, to the extinction of many species. Our generation must do everything we can to emphasize the value of sustainability and healthy practices. Ultimately, we want our children to become engaged citizens and leaders in sustainability.”  In addition to $2.25 million in grant funding and program assistance, NJEA supports Sustainable Jersey for Schools as a program underwriter.

“Congratulations grant recipients. We hope this funding is transformational to your sustainability programs and creates a ripple effect of awareness across your community. Thank you, NJEA for providing the crucial financial support needed to make these projects possible,” said Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon.

An independent Blue-Ribbon Selection Committee judged the proposals.

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Sustainable Jersey for Schools is partially underwritten by the New Jersey School Boards Association.

Other underwriters include the Gardinier Environmental Fund, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program, New Jersey Education Association, PSEG Foundation, New Jersey Department of Education and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Platinum sponsors are NJEA, PSE&G (founding sponsor), South Jersey Gas (founding sponsor), Elizabethtown Gas and New Jersey Natural Gas (founding sponsor). The gold sponsors are Solar Landscape and NJM Insurance Group (founding sponsor). The silver sponsors are Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind and Bluepoint Wind. The bronze sponsors are Gabel Associates and Maschio’s Food Service Inc.

The Sustainable Jersey Digital Schools Program is underwritten by NJDOE and NJSBA. The bronze sponsors are NJM Insurance Group (founding sponsor), Elizabethtown Gas and South Jersey Gas (founding sponsor).