Press Release

Jane Galetto and student working on osprey predator guard (download)

Jane Galetto, Roy Kaneshiki, & students give thumbs up after making wood duck boxes (download)

Students planting butterfly garden at Willow Oak Natural Area in Vineland (download)

For Immediate Release
Date: August 23, 2006
Subject: Educational Programs for Youth

Contact Persons:

Renee Scagnelli, Assistant Director, Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc., at 856-305-3238.

Shelley Cohen, Director, South Jersey Hospital Garden Area Health Education Center, at 856-575-4860

Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc., (CU) in collaboration with South Jersey Healthcare’s Garden Area Health Education Center  (AHEC) program, facilitated six summer programs with youth in Cumberland County. These se

ssions, funded through 21^st Century Community Learning Centers and the RAFT program, were designed to focus on local environmental issues with an emphasis on community service.

Citizens United's Associate Director Renee Scagnelli led three groups of 21^st Century CLC middle school students in planting butterfly gardens at the Port Norris Elementary School, the Cherry Street School in Bridgeton, and at the Willow Oak Natural Area in Vineland.   Millville Memorial High School students prepared metal predator guards for osprey nests under the supervision of Jane Morton Galetto, President of CU, and volunteer Ryan Dailey.  Jane and volunteer Roy Kaneshiki taught a group of RAFT middle school students in Vineland students how to build wood duck boxes. Another group of students participated in water quality activities at Giampietro Park, Vineland.   

The students reflected on their learning experiences with such comments as, "I learned about watersheds and what they do for the environment," "A non-native plant can take over a garden," and "You can identify the quality of an environment by the things that live there."

CU is a non profit watershed association that seeks to heighten awareness about the natural and cultural resources of the Maurice River and the surrounding region. Anyone interested in the organization should call CU at 856-305-3238.

Garden AHEC works to improve the delivery of healthcare services through educational offerings that focus on identified needs of health providers and the communities they serve with an emphasis on career development and health –oriented  school programming.  For customized offerings, call Garden AHEC at 856-575-4860. 

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