Students will explore the tides at Cattus Island, will listen to the sounds of the ospreys who nest there, and will provide community service by conducting a beach cleanup as they listen and learn. Music staff will take part in “Listening to the Data Sing” training, three one-hour sessions about climate change data and its connection to music, and will develop lessons on multidisciplinary data music. “Hear the Tidal Rise with Kodaly” will teach chorus students to use musical sign language and voice to display data.
Finally, “Raise the Standards: Students and Voices to Stabilize the Tides” is a sub-project that will address the need for concert risers and staging, which will be built with the grant funding. Ribbon-cutting ceremonies will precede four holiday concerts over two days, celebrating the new risers, the season and, of course, students’ talent.
“The Rising Tides, Rising Sounds program ... will promote both artistry and investigation, serving to both delight and challenge our beach community along the way.” - Superintendent Mike Citta
Leading the project will be music teachers Jill Lovinfosse and Marilyn Osmundsen (“Ms. Oz”), who both attended the grant awards luncheon May 22. The Rising Tides project will also partner with Lovinfosse’s husband, John, a composer, who will work with students to orchestrate their auditory exploration of the data on climate change with a projection deep into the future.
“These sustainability projects will strengthen New Jersey by helping local communities become more livable, environmentally friendly and prosperous. Congratulations grant recipients; thank you for taking steps to improve health, integrate sustainability into student learning, boost recycling efforts and cut greenhouse gas emissions,” said Randall Solomon, executive director for Sustainable Jersey. “Your projects will have a ripple effect that will benefit us all.”
The PSEG Foundation has contributed $3.1 million dollars in funding to the Sustainable Jersey grants program for municipalities and schools over the past 12 years.
“PSEG cares about people and the planet, which is why we’re so proud to be a prime supporter of Sustainable Jersey,” said Calvin Ledford, president of the PSEG Foundation and director of PSEG Corporate Social Responsibility. “Sustainable Jersey starts with our precious youngsters and creates roles for everyone, in ways that show the kind of ingenuity, environmental stewardship and community that PSEG has valued for 120 years.”
Supervisor Tiffany Lucey envisioned the project and led the development of Toms River's application, and all proposals were evaluated by an independent Blue-Ribbon Selection Committee. The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help municipalities and schools make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey and Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification.
About Sustainable Jersey
Sustainable Jersey provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. As New Jersey faces issues such as the climate crisis, a growing equity divide and environmental pollution, municipalities want to be a part of the solution to these challenges. Sustainable Jersey participants (municipalities and schools) have successfully implemented and documented over 23,596 sustainability actions. Sustainable Jersey has provided over $7.4 million in grants to municipalities, school districts and schools for community-based projects that create healthy and sustainable communities in New Jersey.