Students Continue Wildfire Prevention Efforts

As wildfires become an increasing threat to New Jersey’s woodlands, a group of students at Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School (SCVTHS) are using their skills and their love of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to raise awareness of the problem.

Jashith Gorrepati of Green Brook and Rohan Patel of Hillsborough co-founded the non-profit organization NexGen STEM, and are supported in their efforts by Krishay Patel of Hillsborough, Guru Puduru of Bridgewater, and Arjun Buch of Hillsborough, as well as fifty of their fellow students in the SCVTHS NexGen STEM club.  When they began the organization, their goal was to bring educational opportunities to students around the world, and they have worked with groups in Appalachia and Africa to provide STEM kits to classrooms. However, for the past few years, they have been working locally to deliver programs and educational materials that not only educate the community regarding wildfires but also inspire students by showing them how STEM can be applied to problems that are close to home.

The organization is working to address the wildfire issue through education, preparedness, and prevention. They have developed a program for schools that demonstrates the causes of fires, the benefit of firebreaks, and how fire retardant materials work. The program was rolled out at an event at Green Brook Middle School last year, and the group hopes to expand to other schools, as well as Boy Scout troops, this spring. In addition, the group is working on a website that will allow New Jersey residents to have easy access to the most recent information on wildfires in the state.

NexGen STEM has also been helping local residents to prepare for potential fires by providing safety kits that include information, N95 masks, first aid supplies, and other materials that would be of use in a fire emergency. So far, they have distributed these kits at events held in libraries in Passaic and Morris counties, and are looking to deliver these materials throughout the state.

The final element in their plan to address wildfires in New Jersey is restoration. “A major component of our fire prevention project is a tree planting initiative,” said Mr. Gorrepati. “We are targeting areas within our county that are most vulnerable to drought and brush fires, particularly neighborhoods near wooded zones and public green spaces.” In order to accomplish this goal, NexGen STEM has been forming partnerships with local environmental groups to distribute saplings. The hope is that planting new trees will help promote environmental stewardship that will lead to reduced risk of wildfires. 

If you would like more information on NexGen STEM, please visit their website at www.nexgenstem.org