MONMOUTH, N.J. — Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) student Advay Amitkumar is helping his community build better recycling habits and promote environmental stewardship, efforts that recently earned him recognition from his hometown of Edison Township.
Edison Township honored Amitkumar with a mayoral proclamation recognizing his participation in Clean Ocean Action's Student Environmental Advocates and Leaders (S.E.A.L.) Program and his commitment to environmental advocacy.
The S.E.A.L. program provides high school students with opportunities to learn about environmental issues while developing leadership skills through advocacy and community engagement.
For Amitkumar, that journey began with a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.
"From a young age, I've been interested in the environment, and joining the S.E.A.L. Program gave me an opportunity to turn that passion into action," Amitkumar said. "I hope other students feel inspired to help the environment, whether that's by starting their own initiatives or making small changes in their everyday lives."
Inspired to address a need he saw in his own community, Amitkumar focused his S.E.A.L. project on promoting sustainable recycling practices and educating others about what can and cannot be recycled. As part of the project, he presented to eighth-grade students at Herbert Hoover Middle School in Edison and organized a recycling poster competition at MAST to encourage environmental awareness among his peers. The initiative was designed to help students better understand proper recycling practices and their impact on the environment.
Through the program, he participated in educational experiences that expanded his understanding of environmental advocacy, including visits to the New Jersey State House to learn about the legislative process and the Mazza Recycling Center to gain firsthand knowledge of the recycling industry. He also worked with the Edison Environmental Commission to develop and refine ideas aimed at improving recycling practices within the community.
Amitkumar credited MAST teacher Clare Ng for helping bring his project to life. With Ng's support, he established the recycling poster competition through MAST's Marine and Environmental Science Club and expanded awareness efforts by displaying student-created posters throughout the school. He hopes to build on the initiative next year by hosting another competition around Earth Week.
Later this year, Amitkumar will expand those efforts by presenting his project at the Edison Green Fair, where he plans to educate community members about the importance of proper recycling habits and simple steps they can take to reduce waste and protect the environment.
"Receiving this proclamation made me feel like the work I was doing was purposeful," Amitkumar said. "It inspired me to keep going and showed me that this could be the start of something that grows much bigger in the future."
Looking ahead, Amitkumar hopes to continue his work with Clean Ocean Action and pursue additional environmental initiatives, including projects focused on water quality and recycling education. He also plans to continue developing environmental initiatives within the MAST community.
MAST encourages students to apply classroom learning to real-world challenges through hands-on experiences, leadership opportunities and community partnerships. Amitkumar's accomplishments reflect the academy's commitment to preparing students to become engaged citizens and future leaders.
About Monmouth County Vocational School District
MCVSD operates six full-time Career Academies including the Academy of Allied Health and Science, Academy of Law and Public Safety, Biotechnology High School, Communications High School, High Technology High School and Marine Academy of Science and Technology. Each welcomes students as freshmen and retains those students through their senior year of high school, for a focused learning experience that helps them take meaningful steps toward their college and career goals.
MCVSD also operates more than 30 shared-time programs, a Career Center for students with special needs and adult programs. Questions about the admissions process for the MCVSD Career Academies or any other career and technical education program offered by MCVSD should be directed to applications@ctemc.org.