Alison Offerman-Celentano

Offerman-Celentano’s innovative program, “Paper Pioneers Closing the Loop”, is a recycled paper-making project for students at Parliament Place Elementary School. Fourth-grade students participating in the cross-curricular project will make their own recycled paper as a way to reinforce concepts of conservation that was learned in earlier grades. Through the program, they will also be introduced to more complex concepts and vocabulary. Students will apply their knowledge of physical and life science concepts as well as explore the process of recycling, renewable versus non-renewable resources, and environmental stewardship. They will learn how virgin paper is made, what resources are consumed, and how making recycled paper can promote conservation. Throughout the project, students will create a journal to chronicle everything they have learned. The goal of the program is to provide students with a new and exciting way to learn about environmental science aside from the traditional methods of reading a book or watching a video. Offerman-Celentano, who lives in Brooklyn, hopes the program will educate not only the students, but parents, and the community on how they can act to preserve Earth’s finite resources for future generations.