MAST students dyed their hair blue to pledge support of a clean ocean (l-r): Ryan Fantasia, Alexa Kretsch, Samy Belfer. EATONTOWN – – High school students from throughout the county launched a spin-off of the ocean advocacy group Clean Ocean Action March 23
Student Ocean Advocates (SOA) from six Monmouth County high schools announced events at their schools to promote ocean advocacy and inspire others to make a difference in the environment.
Student Ocean Advocates (SOA) is a new program of Clean Ocean Action (COA) led by Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) senior Cristina Meinz.
The students from those schools collectively decided to address the issue of “ocean pollution caused by apathy impacts the quality of life” by hosting environmental awareness days at their schools.
“Our belief is that there is nothing more detrimental to our environment than a lack of enthusiasm,” said Meinz of Fair Haven, a COA intern for her senior project and coordinator of the inaugural program of SOA held at the Eatontown Community Center.
The participating SOA schools are: Long Branch High School (LBHS), Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST), Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH), Academy of Allied Health and Science (AAHS), Henry Hudson High School (HHHS), and Wall High School.
Students created Student Ocean Advocates as an outlet for activism on issues related to the health of the ocean. Students meet twice monthly in the evening to discuss issues and actions to stop ocean pollution among their peers, and are guided by teachers representing participating schools and staff of Clean Ocean Action.
Members of SOA report to their fellow students in their respective schools about issues, actions, and events organized by SOA. The group first met in December.
The students reached out to local organizations for ideas, donations and participation in their events. The Eatontown Environmental Commission, represented by Ed Dlugosz, provides space in the Eatontown Community Center for the SOA meetings.
“In the beginning of this project, I thought I would only be unlocking and locking the doors for the group. However, after sitting in at a few meetings and listening to the students, they have inspired me through their energy and enthusiasm,” said Dlugosz, who arranged for copies of the Al Gore documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” to be donated to all SOA schools.
The Academy of Allied Health and Science, represented by Kathy Wong of Eatontown and Tanya George of Tinton Falls, will host the next Environmental
Night April 24 from 5-8 p.m., which will showcase booths from local environmental organizations and screen “An Inconvenient Truth.” Long Branch High School, represented by Jacqueline Johantgen and Jasmine Spencer of Long Branch, will host Environment Week April 16-20. The week will include student pledges to make positive impacts on the environment, incorporation of environmental issues into teachers’ curriculum, selling T-shirts and biodegradable ornaments, a poster contest, and planting sessions in the town’s community garden.
MAST Student Ocean Advocates hope to deliver their message of a cleaner tomorrow to peers. Representatives of MAST are Samy Belfer of Manalapan, Alexa Kretsch of Eatontown, and Ryan Fantasia of Belford. MAST Environment Day is April 11 and students will be asked to dye their hair blue in support of a clean ocean. There will also be a “uniform pass” sale, baked goods with blue icing, informative posters and packets, and a showing of “An Inconvenient Truth.”
“Your environment will always be around you; it is up to you to determine what it looks like,” concurred David DiGioia and Theresa Yeung of Rumson, representing Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School.
RFH’s “Enviropalooza” was held March 29 with more than 15 environmental groups participating.
For more information about SOA or upcoming events at schools, contact Cristina at (732) 872-0111 or e-mail to [email protected].