MANCHESTER – It was an adventure into the unknown, ‘The Eco Explorers and the Mystery of Maple Syrup’ and it involved township middle school students exploring the Pine Barrens.
Members of the Eco Explorers Club left the Middle School and took to the forest trails to sample fresh maple syrup tastings during their recent hands-on outdoor adventure. During their visit to the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson, the young explorers examined the Pine Barrens ecosystem, learning how trees fuel everyday products, and even followed the journey of sap to syrup, bringing their science lessons to life in the sweetest way possible.
The trip is part of the club’s mission to use a dedicated grant from the New York Giants and New Jersey Education Association to connect students with the natural world while reinforcing real-world science concepts.
The group also visited a historic sawmill site, where they learned how fallen trees on the property are repurposed and used to build structures throughout the center. They even discovered that the property was once home to the largest quail farm in the world before being preserved by the State.
Meanwhile, the second group visited the outdoor classroom, where they were shown how to tap a red maple tree and extract sap, the first step in the maple syrup-making process. Students then moved into the Sugar Shack, where they learned how the sap is boiled down using a wood-fired evaporator to produce maple syrup. To complete the experience, students were able to taste the finished product, connecting the entire process from tree to table.
“This is exactly the kind of experience that makes science stick,” MTMS science teacher and Eco Explorers Club Advisor Kristine Laporte said.
“Trips like this help students to understand that what we learn in the classroom exists all around us every day,” he added.
The Eco Explorers Club has had an amazing year of hands-on learning, including a trip to Island Beach State Park, a whale watching excursion, a trip to Jenkinson’s Aquarium, surf fishing lessons off the Jersey Shore, a hands-on exotic animals lesson, and their recent visit to the Forest Resource Education Center.
Through NJEA’s partnership with the New York Giants, MTMS educators Susan Morgan (Science), Kristine Laporte (Science), and Michael Balog (Social Studies) were recognized for their outstanding work, two as Giants Educators of the Week and one as Educator of the Year. These recognitions came with thousands of dollars in grants awarded by the Giants to support initiatives within their school.
Together, the teachers used their grant funding to launch the Eco Explorers Club and give students hands-on opportunities to study the unique ecosystems of Ocean and Monmouth Counties, raise awareness about protecting local environments, and connect science lessons on climate change and human impact to real-world experiences.
The adventures of the Eco Explorers Club are from over as there is plenty of time left in the current school year.
The next exciting chapter in their adventures are set to involve an excursion exploring swampland somewhere within the vast Garden State.
