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Young Artists Bring Barnegat Bay Alive At Library
By Jo Ann La Russo
 | | From left to right, artists Di Angelo Tennyson, Johanny Sierra, Anne Riguer and Aslyn Holland, just a few of the many who worked on the library's colorful new mural. |
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The Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library has a brilliant new addition in the children's department that captures the eye.
A beautifully tiled mural of the Barnegat Bay estuary and its natural habitat created by fourth, fifth and sixth grade students from South Toms River Elementary School now graces the wall.
Library Director Elaine McConnell and Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari, library liaison, honored the young artists and their mentors recently at the mural unveiling.
More than 25 children attended a small ceremony along with special guests Stan Hales, director Barnegat Bay estuary program; Reverend Arnold Evans, Ocean County Community Development program; Earl and Josey Stamm, Network Arts directors; and Reverend Oscar Cradle Sr., site coordinator at Discovery Place.
"This has been a tremendous project," said Earl Stamm, managing director, Network Arts. "This project was about the Barnegat Bay estuary and what we can all do to save it."
The multi-colored fresco was constructed by hand over the course of several months, and put together with bits of stone, shiny colored beads, pieces of mirror and tiles by students of the Discovery Place program, created with help from artists of Network Arts, Philadelphia.
The Discovery Place program is sponsored by the Ocean County Community Development Corporation to motivate youngsters to discover their potential through academic, cultural, artistic and recreational activities.
"The important thing is that the kids helped make it," said Josey Stamm. "The students learned how plants are important to different habitats and are aware of the major habitats."
The library mural contains illustrations of native plant species, conservation messages and depictions of the Barnegat Bay watershed. Select tiles illustrate birds such as the yellow throated warbler and black and white warbler, sea life, wild life and natural vegetation of the area.
"It's about the Barnegat Bay estuary because we want to do all we can to save it," said youngster Tanya Mosley.
The mural project was done in partnership with the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program, New Jersey Community Learning Centers and the Ocean County Library.
The youngsters began work on the wall in early September. In preparation they made field trips to the Lighthouse Center, Island Beach State Park, Cattus Island and the National Aquarium in Baltimore.
Students studied the major habitats of Ocean County and why their preservation is vital to the health of the bay. The young artists also learned about research that is being conducted to protect Diamondback Terrapins, the life of the shorebirds, efforts to re-clam the bay, water testing, and the beauty and variety of ocean life.
The informational tiled mosaic, "was designed to educate the public about specific actions that we all need to take to protect the bay and the watersheds that feed it," said Stamm.
For the youngsters, the project was fun as they learned about their environment. Last month as they were busy putting final touches on the mural, 13 year old, Cordell Mosley, worked with tiles and shiny colored beads while creating a piece of the mosaic that he described as, "full of information."
"It's about the environment," chimed in Aslyn Holland, 10, while selecting blue and green tiles to glue onto the wall.
"It's fun learning about the environment," said Adriana Mincey, 12.
Cradle said the project held importance because the youngsters learned so much. "They loved it."
At the unveiling, the children were amazed at their work. "This will be here forever," marveled student, Anne Riguer, 10, showing off her illustration of blueberries. "It's beautiful."
"It's so gorgeous," agreed young artist, Tyra Gibbs, 8, a third grade student. "It shows life in the water. It shows everything that lives in the bay."
"It was fun and we learned about ecology," said Cordell Mosley, 13.
The project was supported with a $10,000 grant by the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program, a federally funded project that pays for research and public education efforts aimed at protecting the bay and its watershed.
A $5,000 grant came from the 21st century Discovery grant program that supports Discovery Place summer and after school programs for children grades 4 through 6.
At the unveiling ceremony, McConnell thanked the children for their effort and concluded with, "The library is so lucky to be a place where this mural is going to stand for years to come."
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