Morris County Vocational School District Programs Earn State Environmental Honors

MORRIS COUNTY — Students and educators from the Morris County Vocational School District were recognized with two prestigious environmental awards during the 2024 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards ceremony, highlighting their commitment to environmental stewardship, education, and sustainability.

The Academy for Environmental Science, located at Jefferson Township High School and operated by the Morris County Vocational School District, received the 2024 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for Environmental Education. The honor was one of only nine awards presented statewide and recognized organizations, businesses, and individuals demonstrating exceptional dedication to protecting New Jersey’s air, land, water, open space, and wildlife.

Among the academy’s notable projects were environmental cleanups at Lake Hopatcong and air particulate studies conducted during the Canadian wildfire smoke events that affected air quality throughout New Jersey. The research provided students with hands-on opportunities to examine real-world environmental issues while contributing valuable data and awareness efforts.

Heather Varner, lead teacher for the Academy for Environmental Science, and Patricia Vandigriff, teacher of Environmental Literature, accepted the award on behalf of the program during the December ceremony.

The Morris County Vocational School District also celebrated the achievements of Carolyn He, a student in the Academy for Mathematics, Science and Engineering located at Morris Hills High School, who received the James J. Florio Emerging Environmental Leader Award.

The award recognizes a young New Jersey resident who demonstrates exceptional leadership and outstanding accomplishments in environmental protection.

He earned the distinction through her leadership of A Sustainable Future, an initiative focused on reducing paper waste and promoting sustainable printing practices in schools. Since 2023, the program has helped more than 75 school districts and over 200 students nationwide reduce excessive printing. The initiative has expanded internationally and recently hosted its first Climate Convention to engage students in discussions about environmental challenges and solutions.

The Academy for Environmental Science offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum that explores natural processes and human impacts on the atmosphere, aquatic systems, and soil environments. Students integrate concepts from biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, technology, language arts, history, and the arts to gain a comprehensive understanding of environmental issues.

The Morris County Vocational School District’s academy programs provide students in grades nine through twelve with specialized instruction in career-focused fields. Students complete both academy coursework and New Jersey Department of Education academic requirements while earning a high school diploma from the Morris County Vocational School District. Programs also offer opportunities for internships and college credit.

The Morris County Vocational School District serves students through a variety of career and technical education programs, including automotive technology, construction trades, healthcare sciences, global commerce, performing arts, cybersecurity, and environmental science. The district operates full-time academies and share-time programs at its Denville campus and satellite locations throughout Morris County in partnership with local school districts and the County College of Morris.