HVCHS Eco

Lunch & Learn Series

April 22 - 26, 2024

Through the generous support of Sustainable Jersey for Schools and NJEA, we are pleased to present the return of the Eco Lunch and Learn series at Hopewell Valley Central High School. All events will take place in the Media Center from April 22 through 26. We hope you will join us!

Scroll down this page for more information, including registration links and deadlines.

"TELLING YOUR CLIMATE STORY"

with climate activist and media producer

KRISTY DRUTMAN

Monday, April 22, Media Center

11:00 - 11:50 am, lunch included

Kristy Drutman, otherwise known as “Browngirl Green” is a speaker, consultant, media producer, and environmental educator passionate about working at the intersections between media, diversity, and environmentalism.

As a young entrepreneur, Kristy has educated hundreds of thousands of people across the globe about modern-day environmental issues through speeches and media content as well as facilitates workshops centered around environmental media and storytelling in cities across the United States.

Kristy is also the Co-Founder of the Green Jobs Board, a climate tech start-up bridging the equity and inclusion gap within the green economy through conversations, resources, and pathways to bring more diverse talent into the environmental field.

(from https://www.browngirlgreen.com/)

"HOPEWELL VALLEY ECOLOGY"

with FoHVOS stewardship director

DR. MIKE VAN CLEF

Tuesday, April 23, Media Center

11:15 - 11:50 am, lunch included

Dr. Van Clef is the FoHVOS Stewardship Director and also serves as the Invasive Species Strike Team Program Director. He joined FoHVOS in 2007 and co-founded the Strike Team in 2008 with the goal of bringing greater efficiency and effectiveness to invasive species management. Dr. Van Clef has a Ph.D. in ecology from Rutgers University and over 25 years of experience in land stewardship, planning and research, working extensively in the evaluation and management of rare and invasive species and deer management. He has consulted with over 30 organizations in NJ including the NJ Invasive Species Council for which he prepared the New Jersey Strategic Management Plan for Invasive Species.

(from https://www.fohvos.info/)

"EVERY JOB IS A GREEN JOB"

with local sustainability professionals

Gabe Dominguez, Renata Barnes, & Liz Cutler

Wednesday, April 24, Media Center

11:15 - 11:50 am, lunch included

What do a musician, a film/TV producer, and an English teacher have in common? They all are engaged in creating climate, environmental justice, and ecological solutions through their work. Hear the amazing journeys of three local sustainability professionals and how their different jobs have all been pathways toward environmental solutions.

Gabe Dominguez is the director of Ecotopia Now! a revolutionary eco-literacy program in Utah and co-founder of the Bicycle Music Festival in San Francisco. His band Shake Your Peace! performs "whup music"--multicultural music with an ecotopian perspective. Gabe is also half of the folk duo Tiny Home.

Renata Barnes is the Director of Programs and Community Engagement for the Outdoor Equity Alliance. She spent two decades in New York City working in the film and television industry before returning to New Jersey, where she worked for Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and MercerMe.

Liz Cutler taught English at the Princeton Day School for 37 years. During this time, she was instrumental in establishing the PDS Sustainability program. Liz also founded OASIS, a consortium for educators focusing on sustainability in schools. Currently, Liz is a whole school sustainability consultant.

CLIMATE SOLUTIONS FAIR

Thursday, April 25, Media Center

11:15 - 11:50 am, bring your own lunch

YES students only register by 4/15

Members of the Youth Environmental Society will host a climate solutions fair where you can learn about climate careers and the environmental solutions people are working on today!