Education is the backbone of conservation, and we want to highlight one school that has incorporated lifesaving turtle conservation into their curriculum. Mount Olive High School, a public school in Morris County, New Jersey, goes beyond classroom teachings to engage students in hands-on work with animals in their greenhouse. The School opened their doors to turtles that United States Fish and Wildlife (USFW) confiscated from the global illegal wildlife trade.

Led by science teacher Karen Sterling and her colleagues, the school welcomed Map Turtles (Graptemys geographica), Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina), and Red-Footed Tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonarius) into their facility on loan from USFW. With the assistance of Maurice Rodrigues, co-founder of the Turtle Conservancy, they set up naturalistic habitats, including aquariums with advanced pumping, filtration, and air systems for aquatic turtles and terrestrial enclosures for tortoises. While many of these animals were stolen from the wild by poachers, Mount Olive School works hard to make them feel at home in their temporary captive environment.

It is not surprising that the TC’s New York based Communications Officer,  Chiara Gorodesky was thrilled to meet with the school’s environmental club every two weeks during the last semester of the academic school year to talk turtles. The club, comprised of passionate students from ninth to twelfth grade, meet once a week during recess. Not only do they assist Ms. in the care of the animals, but also engage in a variety of environmentally themed projects throughout the school year. During the meeting sessions with Chiara, students were introduced to the wonderous world of turtles and their distinct differences across species, starting with local animals. It was fascinating to learn that all students had a personal “turtle story” to tell and how excited and joyful everyone was as soon as a live animal was brought into the discussion circle. Students learned and discussed the unique needs of the animals kept in the school’s green room and the threats that face turtles worldwide.

By integrating education with conservation efforts, these young students are proving that knowledge and passion can ignite positive change in their local ecosystem and beyond. Turtle Conservancy could not be prouder to be part of the Mount Olive High School Environmental Club and looks forward to returning in September.

Nordhoff High School

Last week, the Turtle Conservancy paid a visit to Nordhoff High School in Ojai, California, as part of the school's College and Career summer course. The purpose of this visit was to engage the enthusiastic young minds in an educational talk, aiming to inspire and guide them towards meaningful careers in conservation. The central focus of the talk was to illustrate how conservation principles can be integrated into various fields, allowing each individual to make a positive impact while following their passions.

TC’s Education Director and teacher, Peter Deneen pose holding hatchling Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)

We would like to express our thanks to Nordhoff High School for graciously hosting us and providing the opportunity to interact with their students. A special thank-you goes out to Peter Deneen, the class instructor, and his students for their warm welcome and active involvement during the session.

We encourage everyone to take a moment and contemplate how they can incorporate conservation practices into their daily work routines. It could be as simple as opting for eco-friendly cleaning supplies or making the switch from plastic to reusable products. By taking such small yet significant steps, we can all contribute to a more sustainable future.