Big Cheers for Oysters!

Our students in Upper Elementary (4th and 5th grade) and Middle School (6th-8th grade) know firsthand the vital role oysters play in the Hudson River through their work with the Billion Oyster Project each year. It was reaffirming to see this week how New Jersey and oysters achieved the national spotlight. Sysco, the world’s largest food distributor, pledged to collect discarded oyster shells from its associated restaurants in New Jersey to fortify oyster reefs.

For several years, our students have been participants in the Billion Oyster Project (BOP). The BOP has pledged to bring one billion oyster back to New York Harbor. Oyster reefs provide habitat for hundreds of species and can protect our city from storm damage. Depositing oyster shells restores oyster beds, protecting this critical waterway from erosion, encouraging reef life, and, most importantly, increasing the number of oysters that filter the water. 

Our school’s association with oyster bed restoration goes back several years. Our students petitioned restaurants in Jersey City in 2022 by collecting shells and cleaning them. Since then, our students have continued to take annual trips to the giant shell pile on Governor’s Island to help clean shells, getting them ready for the important task of building reefs in the Hudson River. We are excited to see this big win for our ecosystem!

Hudson Montessori School, located in downtown Jersey City, serves children aged 2 to 8th grade. Our teachers use an interdisciplinary, theme-based learning approach grounded in the Montessori philosophy and methodology to foster a love of learning in our students. Its STEM-certified campus is the only one of its kind in New Jersey, featuring STEM-certified teachers who meet the highest standards set by the National Institute for STEM Education. The school invites parents to attend an open house to learn more about its scholastic programs and community-based initiatives.