Hudson Montessori Middle Schoolers Pitch in to Help the Billion Oyster Project

Our 7th graders recently spent a fun and meaningful day helping the Billion Oyster Project by cleaning a huge pile of oyster shells on Governors Island. The shells they cleaned will be returned to New York Harbor to help rebuild important oyster reefs, which improve water quality and provide homes for marine life. The class enjoyed working together at the shell pile and making a real difference in our local waterways. When they’re not cleaning shells, the students are often busy collecting data at their oyster research station and classroom tank, where they track oyster growth and record their observations as part of their science studies.

The Billion Oyster Project started because New York Harbor lost most of its oysters due to pollution and overfishing. The harbor used to be full of oysters, but their numbers dropped sharply. Since 2014, the group has added more than 50 million oysters to the harbor, thanks to volunteers and partners like Hudson Montessori School. Their main goal is to restore one billion oysters by 2035. By joining this project both outside and in the classroom, our students are helping the community and learning more about caring for the environment and marine life.

Hudson Montessori School, located in downtown Jersey City, serves children from ages 2 through 8th grade. The teachers use an interdisciplinary, theme-based learning approach grounded in Montessori philosophy and methodology to foster students' love of learning. 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 welcomes parents to an open house to learn more about its programs.