Traveling Environmental Festival

NJFC Traveling Environmental Festival (TEF) is our key educational tool for children of all ages.  While modeled after Clearwater's Classroom of the Waves, NJFC has adapted the concept to create the TEF, first presented in 1994.

TEF brings the hands-on shipboard stations to the classroom and youth organizations at a fraction of the cost of the shipboard experience thereby enabling NJFC to reach a broader audience all year round.  It is a self-contained, portable (stored in its own trailer) educational classroom that can be set up in an auditorium, classroom, or outdoor venue.

The TEF is comprised of its Introduction, its five stations, and Closing. The stations presented as well as the timeframe of the engagement can be tailored to suit  the targeted topic, audience, and the available teaching resources.

As illustrated below, after the Introduction, the class of students is divided into smaller groups assigned to each of the stations.  After the allotted time period, the groups rotate to the next station until all stations have been visited. They are then reassembled and presented a skit, a singalong, and/or discussion which summarizes and reinforces their TEF educational experience. Music is an integral part of NJ Friends of Clearwater - it was literally founded on, and originally funded by - music.  Music plays an even more intrinsic role in TEF as an educational mechanism for reinforcement of concepts.

Learning Stations Revolve Around The Food Web and Our Part in It

While the TEF's target audience are grades 2 through 6, the NJFC educators—working with local curriculum advisors—have tailored the curriculum to accommodate older and younger audiences. The full TEF Curriculum is comprehensive and is aligned with NJ mandatory curriculum elements.  A sample lesson plan is provided at TEF Educators Curriculum Page. 

TEF in Dynamic Motion--All Hands On Deck 

In the sailing season, we use our sailboat Pete's Banjo and augment its limited size by presenting at bay and riversides, such as Keyport and Red Bank or anywhere you choose. For more information about the Traveling Environmental Festival, please refer to our brochure, curriculum, and Powerpoint presentation outline.

The Traveling Environmental Festival has had outreach to more than 1 million children since 1994 across 3 Categories: Schools, Youth organizations, and Festivals, including NJFC and HRSC extravaganzas.