The Eco-Explorers Program aims to promote environmental awareness and stewardship and to enhance scientific literacy in order to empower the citizens of the State of New Jersey. The program’s environmental education activities include in-person and virtual classrooms as well as participation in community events.
The Eco-Explorers Summer Camp combines recreational activities, environmental education lessons, computer technology lessons, and guided field trips to notable natural sites and water resource management facilities in the Passaic River basin and Newark Bay. Project staff will lead the tours and present lessons in classrooms and science labs on the campus of Montclair State University. Students will be taught how to use instruments and software used by scientists and other professionals and apply these skills toward exercises relevant to the sites and topics of the tours.
In addition to our summer program, we offer free guest lectures focused on ecology, environmental science, sustainability, and water conservation. The lectures run anywhere between 1-3 hours depending on the specific lecture’s activities and content (lecture time is variable). The lessons are offered virtually and in person. Teachers are welcome to choose as many lessons as they like.
Program Goals
- Improve awareness and understanding of the environmental infrastructure that supports life, and the benefits, threats, opportunities, obstacles, and efforts related to that infrastructure.
- Foster interest in science by creating curiosity and excitement about ecology, environmental science, and sustainability.
- Introduce the substance and tools of a career in ecology or environmental science/engineering.
- Increase students’ confidence in their ability to someday become professional scientists by familiarizing them with a university environment.
- Providing students with positive role models in the form of college students, professors, and working scientists.
Topics of Study
- non-point source pollution and watershed protection
- biodiversity
- wildlife ecology
- ecosystem management
- water quality assessment
- drinking water and wastewater treatment
- drinking and recreational water safety
- fish and shellfish consumption safety
- renewable energy and sustainability
- Passaic River history
- urbanization
- environmental stewardship
- community gardening
Quotes from Eco-Explorers:
Thank you for this Summer even better! I had so much fun as an Eco-Explorer. Thanks for taking care of us, and teaching us about our environment. This year was my first year, but I am already thinking about coming next year! Have an amazing summer!
Thank you for helping me throughout this whole journey of being an Eco- Explorer. I hope I could get to see you next session. This could help me throughout my life. Thank you for helping me and this was a fun program!
I wanna thank you for giving a chance to be in the program and letting me learn so much.
Thank you for allowing me to attend this program and I loved every moment of it.
Thank you for everything you did for us. I really had a great time and wish I joined sooner. I learned a lot of interesting information and developed an even larger interest in science. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Contact
Colleen Potocki
Coordinator of Education and Outreach
Montclair State University
Center for Environmental and Life Sciences 304B
Montclair, NJ 07043 USA
- Phone: 973-655-3711
- E-mail: ecoexplorers@montclair.edu
