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Ventnor 8th graders honored for their work caring for the environment

  • Environmental

VENTNOR – The Board of Commissioners Jan. 23 honored the Ventnor Educational Community Complex’s eighth grade Green Team for their work caring for the city’s fragile environment.

Under the direction of eighth grade science teacher Michael Capizola, approximately 35 students participated in the Surfrider Foundation South Jersey Chapter’s semi-annual cleanup of the bay along Wellington Avenue on MLK Day. The cleanup generated 167 pounds of trash and debris.

But that’s just one of the team’s efforts to keep Ventnor clean. The students go out into the community monthly for cleanups of the city’s beaches and parks. Teachers volunteer to supervise the students.

      

Mayor Tim Kriebel said what the students have done “makes a difference.”    

“You did an unbelievable job outside of our Plaza,” Kriebel said before awarding certificates of appreciation to the students. “It brought attention to the Plaza owners in a positive way.”

Ventnor Plaza owner Mark Greco thanked students for bringing the litter problem behind the strip mall to light and treated them to pizza after the cleanup.

      

“We need to go back for more,” Capizola said about the team’s short-term solution to litter.

A longer-term solution would be to get the property owner to ensure there are covers on dumpsters to prevent the wind and seagulls from scattering trash. The students also suggested erecting a chain link fence behind the strip mall to prevent trash from getting into the marsh. A doggie door could allow animals to have access to the land and marsh. The students also suggested erecting cameras to monitor the area.

Capizola said Grieco has been responsive to the request.

      

Capizola said the students collected 842 pounds of trash and debris from the wetlands behind the strip mall. In addition to snack bags and regular litter, the students also found bigger items, such as tires, piping, an abandoned shopping cart and a toilet.

“They even found a bumper to a car,” he said. “It was a bit icy that day and the kids couldn’t get to everything so we will have to go back.”

During a recent beach cleanup in November, students retrieved a TV, metal palm tree, and an abandoned bicycle from under the boardwalk. 

The team goes out at least once a month to clean up beaches, parks and littered areas. Cleanups have been conducted at Ski Beach, Newport Avenue beach, Somerset Avenue park and they plan to clean up around the Holland Boathouse.

“We do a different place in Ventnor each time,” Capizola said.

      

Capizola, who has been teaching at the VECC for four years, said the green team is open to all middle school students – and most of them participate – but he often hears that fourth graders are also anxious to become part of the effort and they join the team as soon as they get into fifth grade.

“It’s great because it gets kids out in the community and in nature, they got the attention of the public officials and have raised awareness among residents about the need to keep the city clean,” he said.

Capizola, who also teaches enrichment classes, was recently named the middle school’s Educator of the Year. Kathy Evinski who teaches basic skills was named Educator of the Year for the elementary school.

      

In addition to continuing to monitor the Ventnor Plaza area, the students will be hosting a green fair at the school’s upcoming Educational Expo. 

Additionally, the students installed and maintain an Ocean Friendly Garden along Lafayette Avenue, which is designed to provide a habitat for pollinating insects. It also has a greenhouse to grow starter plants and has four raised beds for vegetables. 

The students also do environmental projects in school, such as encouraging the use of reusable water bottles, saving one-sided paper for reuse, recycling printer cartridges, and reducing the use of plastic utensils in the cafeteria.

“The environment has always been a passion of mine,” he said. “It feels good to get the kids to see how they can have an impact on creating a sustainable environment.”

      

Students honored at the meeting are Max Hoban, Sebastian Bravo, Eishana Desai, Katarina Buck, Vanessa Aguilar-Zanabria, Shanaya Desai, Brian Strahl, Olivia Holm, Jadiel De la Cruz, Kamila Cupeles Villantoy, Josiah Rodriguez, James Colozzi, Noah Polinski, Flora Supal, Yasmin Zakariana, Jahyra Jones, Giovanni Stanley, Alberto Stanley, Isabella Rugghia, Alexandria Buck, Vivian Pross, Mia Mackin and Sofia Garvin-Sandoval.

      

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