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Sarah Lawrence College’s Center for the Urban River at Beczak (CURB) is bustling with activity this summer, running a number of its signature programs that blend education, research, and community engagement.
“Times like these epitomize our vision of CURB as a vibrant education and research center accessible to all,” said Ryan Palmer, Director. “It’s incredibly meaningful to see our center packed with students from the community working side-by-side with Sarah Lawrence students to tackle real-life problems and better their community.”
Partners from the community agree. Sunitha Howard, Scientific Research Program Director at Lincoln High School in Yonkers, actively encourages her students to avail themselves of the opportunities at CURB. “Students participating in CURB become part of something bigger,” she says. “They remain engaged year-round as their excitement for learning and a passion for research and community involvement grow. CURB offers invaluable experiences that cultivate both leadership abilities and enthusiasm for STEM among students, and we at Lincoln are grateful for the partnership.”
A dynamic and valuable resource for both the College and the local community in Yonkers and beyond since 2013, CURB’s mission is to advance environmental knowledge and stewardship by providing high-quality K-12 environmental education, establishing a regional hub for research and monitoring focused on Hudson River estuary and urban watershed issues, and serving as a welcoming open community space for a variety of civic and cultural activities. Summer is typically the busiest time at CURB and this year has been no exception; here’s a look at what’s been happening:
Hudson River Ecology Curriculum and Course
From July 15-19, CURB hosted its fourth cohort of Yonkers high school students for a week-long Hudson River Ecology Curriculum and Course (HREC). Thirteen high school students, including 10 from Yonkers schools, participated in the introductory ecology course with the option to take it for one transferable college credit. Those 10 Yonkers high schoolers, who attended the course for free, are slated to continue on at CURB as part of the paid EELS (Evaluating Estuarine Lateral Species) Team afterschool internship program that gets underway in the fall.
Throughout the week, the students explored various Hudson River topics, including geography, sediment coring, plankton, food webs, seining, water quality, tidal marshes, and more. These lessons utilized data collection both outdoors as well as in CURB’s lab. In addition to their on-site work, the students also completed assignments at home and wrapped up the week with a final project. They were also introduced to various environmental-oriented careers to give them more insight into the realm of green jobs.
“I highly valued the summer course,” said Logan Roman, a rising senior at Lincoln High School. “I not only expanded my knowledge about the Hudson but strengthened my team-building skills and got a better sense of place about my local environment.” On his future plans, Roman added, “I plan to study Marine Biology in college, which I’ve wanted to do since I was 10. This experience at CURB has left me feeling more confident and better prepared for the transition to college.”
Blue Team in Action
The Blue Team is a group of 10 dedicated students from Yonkers Public Schools who are researching wastewater contamination in the Hudson River. Part of the Rising TIDES (Training Innovative and Diverse Environmental Scientists) Program, CURB’s aim for the Blue Team is to cultivate young scientists from diverse backgrounds through intensive training and mentorship.
"Being part of the Blue Team and working with CURB has strengthened my love for STEM,” said Leila Simmons, a 2024 graduate of Lincoln High School who served as a Blue Team mentor this summer. “The work I've done inspired part of my science research project about water quality, which I used in the Regeneron-Westchester Science and Engineering Fair. I won third place in environmental science! Without the experiences I've had here at CURB, my love for science wouldn't have flourished like it has.”
"Being a part of Blue Team was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” added fellow Blue Team Mentor Brieanna Boateng, a 2024 graduate of Riverside High School. “Not only did it increase my love of STEM, but it cemented my future goals and the change I want to make in the world. Learning about environmental justice was an epiphany as I realized the fight against climate change was closer to home than I previously thought.”
The Blue Team presented the findings of their summer-long research at a Whimsical Water Day community event on August 10, which they planned and organized themselves. The day, which was free and open to all, featured presentations from the Blue Team, a chance to seine in the Hudson, food, games, and prizes.
Monitoring & Mitigating Microplastics
A groundbreaking project this summer is CURB’s Microplastics Monitoring and Capture Project, which deploys innovative technology to track and mitigate microplastic pollution in the Hudson River. CURB has partnered with green startup PolyGone Systems to deploy the "Plastic Hunter," a mechanism designed to monitor and capture microplastics in bodies of water like the Hudson River. Using artificial root filters made of hydrophobic silicone bristles, the system mimics aquatic plant roots to capture microplastics. This initiative aims to develop new filtration technologies to address the pervasive issue of microplastic pollution; preliminary results of the project indicate significant microplastic contamination in the Hudson River.
Seining Season Mid-Point
July marked the mid-point in CURB’s 10-month “Catch of the Day” seining program. In this signature outdoor education program, CURB educators take local students into the Hudson River dragging a 30-foot seine net to catch various species of fish, crabs, and shrimp. Students record data from each catch before releasing the animals back into the river. At the end of each season this data, along with data from other sites along the Hudson, is sent to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for analysis, giving scientists a snapshot of the different species that are being sampled in the Hudson River and, in turn, insights into the health of the River. See what’s turned up in CURB’s nets in the 2024 mid-season report
Environmental and Health Programming with New Little Branches – Lanza Center
CURB partnered once again with New Little Branches – Lanza Daycare Center this summer. A group of children visited CURB for a total of six weeks for immersive nature-based and health programming. Zoe Wolf ’26, the Sarah Lawrence student intern currently in the College’s Community Leadership Intern Program (CLIP), organizes these programs, gaining experience in teaching and community leadership. Themes have included vegetable planting, fish net seining, and birding. CURB also collaborated with guest educators from Eat Smart New York and Sarah Lawrence’s Child Development Institute.
Westchester Coalition for Clean Water (WCCW)
Underscoring its commitment to regional environmental health, CURB is proud to be a founding member of the newly formed Westchester Coalition for Clean Water (WCCW). The coalition is committed to achieving, maintaining, and protecting clean water in all of Westchester’s waterways now and for the future. It has formed to push for greater actions by Westchester County and local governments on issues including water pollution from sewers, flooding from stormwater, safe fishing and shellfishing, and increasing access to waterfronts. Coalition members include Riverkeeper, Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, Groundwork Hudson Valley, Bronx River Alliance, the Citizens Advisory Committee of the Long Island Sound Study, Yonkers Paddling and Rowing Club, and Beczak Environmental Education Center.
"The Center for the Urban River at Beczak is an important thread in the College’s vibrant tapestry of community partnerships,” says Sarah Lawrence President Cristle Collins Judd. “It complements our commitment to embedded engagement with our surrounding community, serving as both a collaborator with local partner organizations and as a consistent force in our broader commitment to climate and environmental justice.”
Local officials share Judd’s sentiments on CURB’s importance to and value in the community. "The fact that our young people have access to the Hudson River and an opportunity to learn about the environment they live in through CURB is exactly what we love to see at the County Board of Legislators,” says County Legislator Shanae Williams, who represents Westchester’s 16th District. Yonkers City Councilwoman Deana Robinson echoed Williams’ sentiments, sharing her appreciation for CURB’s “exceptional collaboration with our public school students, providing valuable environmental education. The Yonkers City Council is pleased to see our youth engaging with the Hudson River and anticipates increased participation in environmental justice initiatives.”
Learn more about the Center for the Urban River at Beczak