Nonprofi ts launch urban ecology edu. program
Newtown Creek, one of the nation’s most polluted waterways, will become a classroom in urban ecology for two Long Island City schools this fall. Photo by Mark Hallum
BY BILL PARRY
For nearly two decades
the Newtown Creek Alliance
has served as the voice of the
estuary along the Queens and
Brooklyn border that is one of
the most polluted waterways
in the nation.
Now, in a partnership
with the Hunters Point Parks
Conservancy, the two nonprofit
organizations will turn
Newtown Creek into a classroom
for urban ecology with
educational programs for
Long Island City schools.
“We are very excited to
be able to expand our educational
programming and help
foster the knowledge, awareness,
and stewardship that
will continue to drive positive
change for Newtown Creek in
the coming years,” Newtown
Creek Alliance Executive Director
Willis Elkins said. “We
are thankful to the funders
and project partners for investing
in our shared vision
of a waterway that serves as
a positive resource for those
working, living and learning
near the Creek.”
The curriculum is designed
for elementary and
middle school students to
“bring the Creek into the
classroom and the classroom
out to the creek,” originally
with four units: flora & fauna,
water quality, soil quality and
watershed & sewershed. The
programs also have a strong
emphasis on field lessons and
place-based education.
“The Conservancy is
thrilled to partner with the
Newtown Creek Alliance and
Long Island City schools on
this important project,” Hunters
Point Conservancy President
Rob Basch said. “Part of
our mission is to educate the
community about environmental
concerns on the Hunters
Point waterfront and this
program will help to achieve
these goals.”
Starting this fall, teachers
at Hunters Point Community
Middle School and PS/IS 78
will be the first schools in
Queens to integrate the Newtown
Creek Urban Ecology
STEM curriculum into their
classrooms. Four teachers
at each school, from various
grades and subjects, will play
an active role in the program.
“Hunters Point Community
Middle School has been
committed to engaging students
in real world learning
since it opened in 2013 along
the banks of the East River
and Newtown Creek,” Hunters
Point Community Middle
School Founding Principal
Sarah Goodman said. “We are
thrilled to partner with the
Newtown Creek Alliance and
the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy
to develop the skills
and stewardship of the next
generation of leaders.”
The schools were chosen
due to their proximity to the
Creek and the teachers volunteered
to be trained on the
curriculum and integrate it
into their school year. This
expansion to these schools has
been made possible through
funding from the NYC Environmental
Fund and the NYS
Department of Conservation.
“The state Department of
Environmental Conservation
is committed to fostering
community stewardship of
New York City’s waterways,
shorelines, parklands and
open spaces through funding
programs like the NYC
Environmental Fund,” DEC
Regional Director Steve Zahn
said. “This local environmental
education and stewardship
project will help strengthen
community awareness and
understanding of Newtown
Creek and bolster activities to
improve its health.”
As a part of the project,
HPPC received funding from
TF Cornerstone to work with
NCA on the creation of two
units within the curriculum,
Climate Change Adaption
and History and Geography
of Newtown Creek and
its surroundings.
“We are encouraged to
know that students will walk
away from this project with a
commitment to urban ecology
and an understanding of the
value it brings to environmental
sustainability,” TF Cornerstone
VP of Corporate Social
Responsibility Ebony Young
said.”Thank you HPPC and
NCA for making our world a
better place to be.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by email at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4538.
TIMESLEDGER, S QNS.COM EPT. 6-12, 2019 3
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