After volunteering last weekend to remove garbage, weeds, debris, and more from 37th Street and Tonnelle Avenue, the North Bergen High School Environmental Club is set to receive a reward that will help with their next project. They’re going to get a $500 check to create a school garden in the spring. The funds are part of a statewide litter removal program created in 1986 called NJ Clean Communities.
The DPW and Municipal Utilities Authority usually distribute the funds to a summer program or a group like the Girl Scouts, but officials thought this a worthy cause.
“They’re going to create a garden in the spring, and this way they’re giving back to the community,” said Environmental Coordinator of the MUA Tom Stampe.
On Saturday, Nov. 19, volunteers were separated into groups to accomplish different tasks like painting over graffiti, removing garbage, recycling, and pushing debris and leaves into the street for the on-duty street sweeper to pick up.
“The students realize that they can clean up graffiti, garbage, and they can make a difference.” — Dana Hojnowski
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Teacher in charge of the Environmental Club Dana Hojnowski said, “We didn’t think it was going to be this bad. We all recycled, threw away garbage, and separated tires.”
Transfer student and junior Keren Ortega, 16, said, “Doing something like this makes you think twice about littering.” Ortega said she joined the Environmental Club because she was in a similar group in her old school in New York.
Her friend and junior Melanie Garcia, 16, said, “You think you’re throwing away one thing, but if everyone throws away one thing then you have this.”
Garcia added, “I’m proud of this right here.” She said she was tired from picking up so much garbage.
Freshman Alyssa Quinorez, 14, said the club had never done a clean-up this big before. The group usually separates cans and bottles from garbage and other recyclables once a week in school. The group has also done a campus cleanup in which they picked up litter around the high school.
Hojnowski said, “We’ve never done anything to this extent before. This is a great opportunity of what the community has hidden, and the students realize that they can clean up graffiti, garbage, and they can make a difference, and that’s what happened here.”
Another teacher in charge of the club, Jennifer Checchio, said, “I’m surprised at how much there was to do. [The DPW and MUA] had today totally organized.”
Checchio said a lot of students said they were sore from leaf blowing, raking, and cleaning. “But they felt good to come out and clean up. It’s exciting in a sense.”
Junior Silvia Paulino, 16, said, “I feel great. I’m glad I helped the community, and it felt good doing something.” Paulino said she’s never done a cleanup before, and she spent the day picking up garbage, raking leaves, and recycling.
Sophomore Destiny Soto, 15, said, “We got a lot done, and I feel better. It was really ugly before, and believe it or not it’s much cleaner.”
This is Soto’s first year on the club, she said. “I have a lot of friends here and we have fun helping the community, and we want to help.”
Sophomore Gabriela Castro, 15, said, “I feel like I accomplished a lot today.” For her first cleanup, Castro spent the day picking up bottles, wood, garbage, and recyclables. “It was tiring.”
Hojnowski said, “It’s rewarding.”