Let it never be said that a child can’t make lasting, positive change while in their youth. Thanks to the exuberance of Hudson Montessori School’s students, a grove of 250 saplings will be planted as early as next spring in recognition of 250 Hudson Montessori School students and their commitment to unleashing the “Power of Nature.”
Cheers and celebratory bells rang from the parent volunteer table for each child who completed the learning quest that involved students visiting the school’s unique classroom galleries at the school’s 13th annual Social Studies Fair in May. Each of the school’s 12 classrooms were transformed into interactive, student-designed exhibits highlighting nature’s strength and its resilience that inspires humanity.
Upon completing the quest, the students placed a sticker on a tree tracker in the center of the room. Over 150 students had placed their stickers on the tracker by the end of the day. Within two more days, 100 more students had joined them, visiting the school’s “museum of wonders,” proving that learning empowers action.
The school donated the trees through A Living Tribute: an organization that partners with American Forests and the National Forest Foundation in reforestation projects from the Lower Rio Grande Valley to the Appalachians and in many forests in between.
While studying nature’s great power, students discovered that humanity holds great responsibility in caring for these life-giving ecosystems. More than 1.5 million acres of the Sierra National Forest were ravaged by wildfires in 2021, breaking the previous record set just a year earlier in 2020. The 250 trees donated by the school will replace one acre of scorched forest. This is a vital step in rebuilding habitats for the over 500 species of animals that call the Sierra Nevada Forest home, including deer, bears, and protected species like mountain lions.
"As educators, it is essential to connect a child's learning to the world around them. We consistently show children how their actions have meaning, and how their world is part of a larger whole.” Gracy Jolly, Founding Director, said. “This 250 tree project is a reminder for all of us that we each have a role and a part to play in our society and ecosystem."
Over the course of this year’s study, each classroom discussed the ways humanity is banding together to heal the earth and combat climate change. Older students brainstormed their own green solutions, applying what they have learned over the course of their years as Hudson Montessori students. Initiatives like the tree planting drive teach children that real-world change is possible and that their actions can have positive impacts for us all.
Hudson Montessori School in Jersey City, New Jersey, is firmly footed in science-based learning and teaching our students to be global citizens. Our school is the first nationally-accredited STEAM program in New Jersey. It features an interdisciplinary, theme-based learning approach to education, the Montessori philosophy and methodology, and fosters the love of learning for its students. The school serves toddlers (age 2) and bridge (young 3s), primary and kindergarten, lower elementary, upper elementary, and Middle School. Contact the school office for more information or please explore our website.