High Tech zoology students win Kids to Parks Day national school contest

HUDSON COUNTY – Five High Tech High School freshmen in Dr. Arun Srivastava’s zoology class have submitted one of the winning proposals in the National Park Trust’s Kids to Parks Day National School Contest. High Tech High School accepts students from throughout Hudson County.
The five students – Bar Yifrakh of Hoboken, Jersey City resident Syedah Hasnain, Cassandra Romeo of Kearny, North Bergen resident Martha Reyes, and Sarais Ovalle of Secaucus – will collect information on flora and fauna at Liberty State Park, and promote healthy living through activities such as bicycling, kayaking, and hiking.
The contest, sponsored by The National Park Trust (NPT), assists grade school and high school teachers and students in promoting local parks. To qualify, students must submit proposals for a Kids to Parks event to be held at their community park. NPT awards scholarships of up to $1,000 to winning entries for each class, with the money used to implement a Kids to Parks event on May 16. The High Tech students’ proposal calls for a $594 budget for a Kids to Parks event at Liberty State Park, which would cover bus transportation, canoe rentals, entrance fee, guided tour, costs of stewardship project (plants, mulch, cleaning supplies, etc.), refreshments, and healthy snacks.
“I strongly believe that when students’ educations go beyond the classroom and textbooks, they learn the most,” said Dr. Srivastava. “They can also experience the rich, diverse world around us in a more meaningful way.”
NPT has committed itself to the completion and the full appreciation of the American system of local, state, and national parks through the identification of key land acquisition and preservation needs since 1983. Dedicated to preserving parks today and creating park stewards for tomorrow, NPT has worked on more than 100 conservation projects, which have benefited 47 national park units and other public lands in 31 states and Washington, D.C.

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