Students on the Green Team completed a checklist of actions to help protect rivers, water quality, wildlife habitats, and educate students.
Students Claire Taylor and Nicholas Kapel are removing invasive plants at the Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve in Bedminster. (Raritan Headwaters)
BERNARDSVILLE, NJ — Everyone needs friends – even rivers. The good news for local rivers and streams is that many devoted friends can be found in the halls of Bernards High School (BHS) in Bernardsville.
In June, Bernards High was officially certified as a "River-Friendly School" after students on the Green Team completed a comprehensive checklist of actions to help protect rivers, water quality, wildlife habitats, and educate fellow students.
"We were very happy to be certified as River-Friendly," said Claire Taylor, who just graduated from BHS after serving as president of the Green Team for the 2024-25 school year. "It definitely recognizes that Bernards High School was doing something amazing for the environment."
Lauren Theis, education director of the nonprofit Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA), said the students should be applauded for their hard work.
"It was a big undertaking, so it’s a real feather in the cap of the school to achieve this certification," said Theis, who assisted students with project ideas.
Green Team projects included testing the quality of drinking water in school water fountains, cleaning up and enhancing the rain garden in the school’s courtyard, installing bluebird nest boxes on the BHS campus, building and installing devices to help American eels with their upstream migration, removing invasive plants from RHA’s Fairview Farm campus in Bedminster, and improving bird and pollinator habitat at New Jersey Audubon’s Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary in Bernardsville.
In addition, Green Team students presented a program to fellow students about "upcycling" - turning used clothing into new products instead of throwing them away, and prepared a classroom lesson for advanced biology students on "Disruptions to Ecosystems," such as weather events, human impacts, and invasive species. They also organized an event last fall to collect plastic film and packaging for recycling, as well as a poster contest to raise awareness about natural habitats.
Joseph Young, biology teacher at BHS and advisor to the Green Team, said he is proud of the students for taking on and completing such a large challenge. “It helped them feel as if they were making an impact and setting up for future success,” he said.
Taylor said she learned about the River-Friendly program through her volunteer work with Raritan Headwaters. The summer before her senior year, she became acquainted with Theis and other staff while weeding and watering the bird and butterfly garden at Fairview Farm.
What is River-Friendly?
The River-Friendly program is a voluntary initiative focused on protecting clean water and environmental health through sustainable land stewardship practices. The program was established in the 1990s by a partnership of Raritan Headwaters, the New Jersey Water Supply Authority, and the Watershed Institute. The program works with residents, businesses, schools and golf courses to reduce pollution, conserve water, restore wildlife habitats, and educate the public.
According to Theis, anyone wanting to officially become River-Friendly must complete a set of projects to gain points toward certification.
Bernards High is only the 39th school in New Jersey to be certified as River-Friendly, Theis said. BHS students achieved the first level of certification, known as the "Stream" level. The two higher levels are "River" and "Watershed."
"The Stream level is a great start and gives students in future classes the opportunity to build on this foundation and achieve a higher level of certification," said Theis.
Young said he expects that the Green Team in the upcoming school year will work toward higher levels.
"There are definitely more things we can do to increase the points," he said. "Fortunately, some of the kids who were on the Green Team executive board will be returning."
To learn more about the River-Friendly program and how to become certified, go to njriverfriendly.org.
— Submitted by Raritan Headwaters
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