Ocean City School District Awarded $10,000 Sustainability Grant

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City School District has received a $10,000 Sustainable Jersey grant funded by the PSEG Foundation. The grant will support a school garden and sustainability education at the Ocean City Primary School. The school is one of only four $10,000 grant recipients in the state. The PSEG Foundation also awarded 30 $2,000 grants.
All of the awarded funding supports sustainability projects in schools across the state. In Ocean City, the Primary School will expand its garden and outdoor classroom to accommodate students at every level. Teachers will work to incorporate various subjects, such as math, into gardening and sustainability lessons. The expansion will consist of a butterfly garden, a native bird garden, raised planting beds for vegetables, a composting bin area, benches, a memorial garden and a grid patio for math and science lessons.
“The grant provides a tremendous opportunity to advance sustainability at the Ocean City Primary School,” said Kathleen Taylor, Ed.D., superintendent of the Ocean City School District.  “All of our district’s campuses are located just blocks from the bay on one side and the ocean on the other, which provides Ocean City’s students with a particularly strong affinity with the natural environment and healthy living. The funding we received will further encourage every student to take an active part in growing healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables, while also incorporating lessons in science, math, writing, social studies, art and other subject areas. With designated gardens for each grade level, this will truly be a collaborative, school-wide endeavor.”
Randall Solomon, executive director of Sustainable Jersey, extended his congratulations to all of the schools and districts that received grants. “Grant funding will build capacity as schools embark on sustainability projects that directly benefit the students,” Solomon said. He also noted the long-term impact such projects will have on the state. “To be an innovative state, we must support our teachers, administrators and their respective communities as they shape the future of their students and schools for years to come.”
The PSEG Foundation has contributed over $1 million in funding to the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program. “We are proud to partner with Sustainable Jersey to support and help fund projects that provide sustainable neighborhoods, economic development and STEM education to empower a brighter future. By supporting sustainable education in schools, we can help guide children and engage entire communities in the ways to help transform the environment,” said Ellen Lambert, president of the PSEG Foundation.
An independent Blue Ribbon Selection Committee evaluated proposals for the grants program. The Sustainable Jersey for Schools grants are intended to help school districts and schools make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. Currently, 256 districts and 634 schools have registered to work toward Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. Learn more at www.SustainableJerseySchools.com.
The Ocean City School District is currently working toward a Sustainable Jersey for Schools Bronze Certification at its Intermediate School, with points awarded thus far in the areas of Energy Audit, School Travel Plan for Walking and Biking, and Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Promotion Program.