Sometimes, making sure your body gets the nutrients it needs to be happy and healthy seems like a full-time job. After all, our bodies are highly complex, dynamic machines. Like most machines and tools, our bodies need plenty of high-quality, potent fuel to operate optimally. Unfortunately, everyday life makes it difficult to get the vitamins, nutrients, amino acids, and antioxidants our bodies need to function correctly.
The truth is most of us live busy lives. That's especially true for busy professionals and working parents who can't take the time to source organic ingredients and nutrient-dense foods. Preparing a delicious dish with lean protein and fresh, yummy veggies sounds great. But do you really have the time to buy, clean, prep, and cook a full meal with all those responsibilities on your plate? A quick trip to the cheeseburger joint is so much easier, especially when you have picky eaters for kids. If you're a parent, you know convincing a child to choose Swiss chard over chicken nuggets is harder than solving a Rubik's cube.
Thankfully, there are much simpler ways to treat your body right with vitamins and nutrients, even if you're constantly on the go. IV vitamin therapy in cityname, state is a new, revolutionary treatment from Juventee that delivers essential nutrients directly into your bloodstream. That way, you can give your body the refined fuel it needs without choking down pills or balancing supplements.
Unlike pills and food, vitamin injections bypass the liver's metabolism, where nutrients are often broken down. When nutrients are processed by your liver, it can decrease the amount your body absorbs. By injecting vitamins directly into the bloodstream, you can be sure that 100% of nutrients are absorbed by your body. Vitamin IV therapy may boost your overall brain and body health in a number of different ways:
Plus, with our NAD+ therapy, patients can improve more of their body's functionality and even prevent muscle deterioration. It might sound like science fiction, but Juventee's IV Vitamin Therapy is as real and effective as it gets. You're probably thinking to yourself, "That's all well and good, but what's in IV drip therapy? Don't worry; we've got you covered.
IV vitamin therapy is a wonderful choice if you want softer, healthier skin, a better immune system, and even a cure for that early-morning hangover from a weekend out. But if you're like most new patients, you're probably wondering what's actually in this type of IV therapy.
The contents are right there in the name, boosted with some extras to make you look and feel great. Some of the most common ingredients include vitamin C, a wide range of B vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids. Let's take a closer look at what these typical ingredients are and why they're included in most vitamin IV therapy sessions:
If you're like most adults, your parents probably loaded you up with vitamin C whenever you had the sniffles or a cold. Your younger self might not have believed it worked, but as it turns out, your parents were onto something. According to doctors, vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins to consume. It might not be the cure-all for the common cold, but it absolutely helps maintain your immune system so you can fight the cold quicker. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C also protects your body from prenatal health issues, cardiovascular problems, eye diseases, and even wrinkly skin.
When your body lacks vitamin C for a long time, you're sure to notice. Though vitamin C deficiency is relatively rare in the U.S., adults who go long periods without it may get sick frequently and suffer from other immune system issues. In extreme cases, people may get scurvy, which causes a litany of issues like joint pain, bleeding gums, and depression.
B vitamins like riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folic acid (b9), and cobalamin (B12) play a crucial role in keeping you healthy and maintaining your overall wellbeing. If you want a healthier body, B vitamins are critical, as they are literally building blocks that help preserve your brain functionality, cell metabolism, and energy. For pregnant women, B vitamins in IV drips are especially important because they help your new baby's brain develop while in the womb. B vitamins have also been shown to prevent congenital disabilities. Plus, they help ease feelings of nausea, which is a big bonus for moms and dads alike.
When your body is vitamin B deficient, you're putting yourself at risk of many health problems, such as complications with pregnancy, nervous system disorders, amenia, and gastric cancers.
Like the other vitamins and nutrients on this page, magnesium plays an important part in your body's total health. As a cofactor or helper molecule, magnesium has a role in 600+ bodily functions, including protein formation, nerve function, gene function, muscle movement, and energy production. If you're having a stressful day or week, high-potency magnesium has been shown to have relaxation properties that help calm your nerves and muscles. Unfortunately, most Americans don't get enough magnesium in their diets.
When your body is magnesium deficient, you could be playing with fire. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to chronic health concerns like osteoporosis, diabetes, and even heart disease. If you're feeling unusually weak or suffering from irregular muscle cramps, a vitamin IV session from Juventee could be the solution you need.
Just about every health food and drink in the stores boasts high levels of antioxidants. That's great, but what are they? Antioxidants are substances shown to slow or prevent cell damage from free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules linked to inflammation, disease, and forms of cancer. According to the National Library of Medicine, antioxidants also act as hydrogen and electron donors, as well as enzyme inhibitors.
Most humans get some types of antioxidants naturally through eating and drinking. However, IV vitamin therapy is a much more effective way to fight back against free radicals with antioxidants. When your body lacks antioxidants, free radical production increases, which causes oxidative stress - a harmful situation linked to arthritis, cancers, strokes, and Parkinson's disease.
Thankfully, Juventee's IV vitamin therapy in Jersey City, NJ contains antioxidants that may scavenge and reduce the free radicals affecting your health.
Some additional vitamins and nutrients found in most IV vitamin therapies include:
All IV vitamin injections are applied here at the Juventee office, where our patients are comfortable and at ease. IV vitamin therapy sessions vary in length, depending on the IV therapy you choose and how many applications you need. Vitamin IV injections are administered quickly, with the patient feeling a small pinch from the needle at the injection site.
Patients should not experience any irritation or adverse effects. Once therapy is over, they may leave and go about their day feeling fantastic. While most patients leave our office feeling great, everyone's experiences are different.
What you feel after IV therapy depends on the vitamins you choose and your unique body composition. Most often, however, patients enjoy IV vitamin benefits instantly since their bodies absorb all of the nutrients provided. For optimal results, we recommend you schedule several vitamin IV therapy sessions to thoroughly care for and cleanse your body.
In the past, IV vitamin therapy in Jersey City, NJ was reserved for sick hospital patients and the ultra-wealthy. Today, millions of health-conscious Americans use IV vitamin drips to give their bodies full-potency vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and amino acids. Taking supplements is great, especially if you're not treating your body to a healthy diet. In reality, though, supplements and multivitamins only give you a fraction of the benefit.
Juventee's IV vitamin infusions, on the other hand, are applied directly into your bloodstream. That way, all those wonderful vitamins and nutrients bypass your digestive system, giving your body much-needed care in the blink of an eye.
Getting nutrients in an instant is a benefit on its own, but what other advantages does IV vitamin therapy provide patients? Are there other uses for a vitamin IV drip other than getting your daily vitamins? Let's take a look and see.
If you're like most Americans in modern times, you could afford to lose a few pounds. Weight loss is a big topic these days - being overweight puts you at risk for a long list of ailments and diseases, so it makes sense to shed pounds. Of course, that's much easier said than done.
One savvy way health-conscious people use vitamin IV drips is to help kick start their weight loss goals. Juventee's unique vitamin formula contains metabolic boosters that help convert fat into energy, giving you the "go" needed to finish that workout. By jumpstarting your metabolism, your body can break down fat more effectively, helping you maintain a healthy weight.
In hospital and medical settings, IV nutrient drips can help patients who are too sick to eat. Outside of those settings, it can also be a great way to address certain nutrient deficiencies caused by conditions like:
Generally, people with the conditions above have a hard time getting the nutrients their bodies need via supplements and diet. Because IV vitamin therapy in Jersey City, NJ bypasses their digestive system, these patients can get nutrients that they otherwise wouldn't get.
Are you sick and tired of relying on teeth-staining coffees and chemical-ridden energy drinks to stay awake and focused? Nutrients like amino acids and B vitamins, found in IV vitamin therapies, give you a natural boost of energy, lessening your need for sugar and caffeine.
In addition to helping with weight loss and giving you essential nutrients, vitamin IV therapies may also cleanse your body of damaging toxins and free radicals. Free radicals, in particular, can damage your DNA and speed up the aging process.
The antioxidants in Juventee's IV vitamin therapy help protect your body and its immune system by neutralizing free radicals and eliminating toxins. Some common antioxidants used include:
Ingredients in IV vitamin drips like magnesium sulfate are great for lowering blood pressure and calming nerves. But magnesium has also been shown to:
Magnesium sulfate is also a common ingredient in stress-reducing products like Epsom salts as well.
We've all been there before - it's Friday afternoon, and you and your work colleagues decide to leave the office early. One of your co-workers suggests you go to a bar to let off some steam and reflect on the work week. One or two drinks, you promise yourself. The next thing you know, you're three sheets to the wind, singing bad karaoke and making new friends with everyone at the bar.
You had a great time, but now it's Saturday morning, and it feels like a cinderblock was dropped on your head. Instead of grabbing a can of salty V8, why not treat yourself to vitamin IV therapy from Juventee? The hydration provided by our IV vitamin drips helps fight back against hangover symptoms like:
Fluids from vitamin IVs get to work quick, replenishing the water you lost while you were out partying. Vitamin IVs also have much-needed electrolytes for your body, which may relieve feelings of dizziness, fatigue, and thirst.
If your goal is to nourish your body with nutrients and vitamins, Juventee's IV vitamin therapy in cityname, state is the key you need to unlock success. We believe that balance is key to your health and wellness, which is why our specialists employ the most innovative medical advances in our treatment options and products. Unlike other vitamin IV clinics, our focus is on providing you with a full range of health services to help you reach your full potential.
That way, you can satisfy your aesthetic, physical, and nutritional needs while positively impacting your emotional wellbeing too. If you're on the fence about getting healthy and re-discovering the joys of youth, contact our office today. It would be our pleasure to talk about your concerns and how our preventative, proactive treatments like IV vitamin therapy can help on your journey to health.
Shopping for wall calendars may be a less common end-of-year tradition in the age of digital calendars and smartphones, but if you have an affinity for birds and Jersey City, your search for the perfect calendar ends here.Swans, goldfinches and oystercatchers decorate the pages of the fourth edition of Lorraine Freeney’s Jersey City Birds calendar, a passion project celebrating local birds and the hundreds of residents who have developed a hobby of spotting and identifying them.Freeney created ...
Shopping for wall calendars may be a less common end-of-year tradition in the age of digital calendars and smartphones, but if you have an affinity for birds and Jersey City, your search for the perfect calendar ends here.
Swans, goldfinches and oystercatchers decorate the pages of the fourth edition of Lorraine Freeney’s Jersey City Birds calendar, a passion project celebrating local birds and the hundreds of residents who have developed a hobby of spotting and identifying them.
Freeney created Jersey City Birds as an online community to share photographs when she began following a pair of red-tailed hawks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Facebook Group has since ballooned to more than 1,200 members, and Freeney officially established Jersey City Birds as a nonprofit this year, which she plans to use as an advocacy tool for bird protection.
It is just one of a network of community groups that unite around the wildlife that migrates through the urban area yearly.
The annual calendar, which Freeney initially created as a gift for friends and family, now features photographs from multiple members of the city’s birding community and can be purchased online.
“The point of the calendars at this stage is to raise awareness of the birds that live in and migrate through Jersey City and hopefully show how important it is to protect their habitats and reduce the challenges they face,” Freeney said.
The August page features a young red-tailed hawk perched on a Hudson County Sheriff’s vehicle as the bird was learning how to fly, a moment that Freeney recalled catching the attention of many passing by who formed a crowd around the scene. October features a blue-gray gnatcatcher, a four- or five-inch-long bird that Freeney captured in Lincoln Park West.
“They’re extremely active and quick and so being able to get a clear image of one is kind of a challenge for me,” Freeney said. “I happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
Popular birding spots in the county include Liberty State Park and Lincoln Park West in Jersey City, the Mill Creek Marsh Trail in Secaucus and, in Bayonne, Gregg Park, Rutkowski Park and the waterfront walkway bordering Bayonne Golf Club.
Birders enthralled by the wildlife in Hudson County have been sharing photographs online, meeting up for walks and advocating for environmental causes for years now.
The Bayonne Nature Club hosts two weekly bird walks as well as shoreline clean ups and gardening. Couple Pat Hilliard and Mike Ruscigno founded the group about 15 years ago when they retired. Hilliard said the group spotted more bald eagles in Bayonne this year than in recent years.
“There’s so many nice parks, and they’re easy access,” Hilliard said. “Bayonne’s surrounded by water. To see birds, just find water.”
Freeney said she discovered an interest in birds growing up with her father in Ireland and upon moving to the United States was able to acquaint herself with an almost entirely new ecosystem of birds.
Moving into her home neighboring Lincoln Park was an opportunity to spend more time with the array of birds she had discovered there. She said she frequently speaks to residents shocked to learn that ospreys and hummingbirds can be found in Jersey City.
“I feel that my job here is to document what I see,” Freeney said. “It doesn’t have to be a fantastic image. It just is a way of helping people become attuned to what’s around them.”
Hanging a Jersey City Birds calendar in the kitchen has become an annual tradition for Hudson County Sierra Club Program Chair Steve Krinsky, who organizes bird walks with Freeney and Jersey City’s Feminist Bird Club.
“I’m not a photographer so I love it when other people do the hard work of taking the pictures and sharing them,” Krinsky said.
The Jersey City Birds 2024 calendar may be purchased online at https://www.mixbook.com/photo-calendars/all/jersey-city-birds-2024-33193779?vk=16fXIg22yx5V2t6QiPY3.
JERSEY CITY, NJ- Have a ball at Snow Ball!Art House Productions and presenting sponsor SILVERMAN’s 16th Snow Ball Gala will take place on Saturday, January 27 from 8 to 11:30 p.m. There will also be a VIP Dinner beginning at 6 pm, at Move The Needle inside the Lackawanna Center in Jersey City.“We are thrilled to invite you to our 16th Snow Ball Gala: Midnight Bloom!," said Anna Gundersen, Art House Associate Executive Artistic Director. "This extraordinary event is not just a unique experience full of art,...
JERSEY CITY, NJ- Have a ball at Snow Ball!
Art House Productions and presenting sponsor SILVERMAN’s 16th Snow Ball Gala will take place on Saturday, January 27 from 8 to 11:30 p.m. There will also be a VIP Dinner beginning at 6 pm, at Move The Needle inside the Lackawanna Center in Jersey City.
“We are thrilled to invite you to our 16th Snow Ball Gala: Midnight Bloom!," said Anna Gundersen, Art House Associate Executive Artistic Director. "This extraordinary event is not just a unique experience full of art, entertainment, and celebration, but also a testament to the community spirit in Jersey City. We sincerely hope you can join us for this unforgettable evening, coming together to support Art House’s bright future.”
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This year's Snow Ball Gala theme is Midnight Bloom. The event aims to celebrate arts and culture in Jersey City, and the individuals who support artists and bring quality arts to Hudson County.
“I draw inspiration from the essence of Snow Ball—a citywide convergence of imagination and creativity centered around a theme," said Michael Griffiths, Chair of the Art House Board of Trustees. "I can't wait to see the different takes on this year's prompt, 'Midnight Bloom.' Art House is doing something special by creating a space where creativity and expression flourish. It makes me proud to see this ongoing commitment to nurturing the artistic spirit in our community.”
This year, Art House will honor Senator-Elect for the 31st Legislative District Angela McKnight, Jersey City HEDC Director Annisia Cialone, and JC Director of Love & Leisure Anthony "Dancing Tony" Susco. The VIP dinner will celebrate the honorees from 6 to 8 p.m., applauding "their commitment to the Jersey City arts sector and Art House's new Performing and Visual Arts Center."
With a VIP ticket, guests can enjoy a three-course meal from CSW Catering, a toast to the honorees, and first acess to the silent auction, as well as a live performance by Riverview Jazz.
From 8 to 11:30 p.m., the main event will feature an open bar, light fare, live music, DJ sets, a costume contest, and the silent auction. The "magical experience" will be hosted by Jersey City's beloved "Queen of the Night", drag performance artist Harmonica Sunbeam.
Art House is billing the Snow Ball Gala event as "the most thrilling of the post-holiday season." The black-tie gala is also pivotal in generating funds for the new home of Art House Productions and supports an ambitious season of arts and educational programming.
General Admission tickets are $200 in advance or $300 at the door, and $500 for the VIP tickets that include the dinner reception. $95 tickets are available for patrons with disabilities and working artists.
All proceeds benefit Art House Productions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to the development and presentation of the performing and visual arts in Jersey City. A portion of the ticket purchase is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law.
“For me, Snowball is a testament to Art House's unwavering commitment to supporting the artistic community here in Jersey City," said Michele Lewis-Bellamy, President of the Art House Board of Trustees. "Every aspect of Snowball invites the attendees to experience the highest level of artistic expression. I simply cannot wait to personally witness the beauty and creativity that Snowball consistently brings out!”
For more information about the Snow Ball Gala, email [email protected].
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateLauren Czerwinski was pitcher Elizabeth Mitchell's catcher when they were 12 years old and led their summer recreation league softball team to a championship. They've stayed in touch but play on different travel teams and for different high schools with Mitchell at Coventry and Czerwinski at Tolland.But there will be a reunion next year. Mitchell and Czerwinski signed letters of intent last month to continue their academic and softball careers at Saint Peter's Univers...
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Lauren Czerwinski was pitcher Elizabeth Mitchell's catcher when they were 12 years old and led their summer recreation league softball team to a championship. They've stayed in touch but play on different travel teams and for different high schools with Mitchell at Coventry and Czerwinski at Tolland.
But there will be a reunion next year. Mitchell and Czerwinski signed letters of intent last month to continue their academic and softball careers at Saint Peter's University in Jersey City, N.J. as part of a 10-player recruiting class.
"It's kind of crazy that we'll be playing together and maybe even I'll be catching her again," Czerwinski said. "That's what we're hoping happens. It would be really exciting."
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Saint Peter's is a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and is coached by Chris Stelma, who will be in his eighth season in the spring. He was the MAAC Coach of the Year after the Peacocks went from two wins in 2021 to 22 wins in 2022. Last spring, they reached the 30-win plateau for the first time since 2002.
Both Czerwinski and Mitchell met Stelma at camps this summer.
"I was doing catching stuff because it was pitchers and catchers early in the day," Czerwinski said. "He recognized me from warmups and said that I had a good approach. So after the camp was over he pulled me aside and asked when my tournaments would be and if I could send him a schedule and I stayed in touch with him. In August he gave me an offer when I was hitting with my dad. I was like, 'He's calling me out of the blue.' He was talking about how I'd be a good fit. I was grateful to get the offer."
Mitchell had been looking at UConn, Bridgeport, and Eastern Connecticut State when Stelma reached out to her.
"I really didn't know much about Saint Peter's," Mitchell said. "I was looking at a few different schools and I went to a camp and met Coach Chris. We started talking and I liked his energy and his personality. I went to another camp in Massachusetts that he was at and he asked me to come to his recruit camp. He offered me a visit so it wasn't until late August that I became interested.
"UConn didn't work out. Eastern and Bridgeport turned out to be not what I was looking for. I found Saint Peter's and I am super-happy with my choice. I'm more of an at-home country girl but I certainly enjoyed the campus. I knew some of the girls in my recruiting class already and I thought it would be a great environment to be in."
Erin Mackin of Canton and Grace Muti of Waterford also signed with Saint Peter's in November.
Czerwinski is a two-time all-Central Connecticut Conference East selection and a three-year captain for the Eagles. As a junior, she hit .471 with 32 hits including seven doubles and three triples with 12 RBIs and 30 runs scored.
"I think I've improved dramatically," Czerwinski said. "I'm always doing something either going to the field, going to the gym, trying to better myself in every way. Every day is a new opportunity to get better. From my freshman year to now, if I looked back at myself I'd be like, 'Wow. There's no way that I'm that same person.' I'm happy with how it's worked out."
Tolland has also seen dramatic improvement since she arrived. The Eagles were 5-13 her freshman year and improved to 13-8 to qualify for the CIAC Class M state tournament her sophomore year. Last year the Eagles finished 16-6 and won the CCC East championship.
The season ended with a nine-inning loss to RHAM in the Class M second round and that's motivation for her senior year. Czerwinski hopes the Eagles will qualify for the CCC and state tournaments again and make deep runs in both.
"Softball is a game of failure but that's what has made me the player I am today," Czerwinski said. "I have learned that you have to be mentally strong to be able to compete in this sport and if you're not you won't be able to compete at the next level. I've learned everything is not perfect and you have to go through change and rough patches. If we have a good bond and good work ethic we'll continue to get better."
Czerwinski, an honor roll student, comes from an athletic family.
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Her father, Scott, won two Class S state championships in basketball at Somers High and a Division III national championship in baseball at ECSU. He pitched seven shutout innings in the final win over Montclair State. He is a member of ECSU's Hall of Fame. Her mother, Christy, was a state softball champion at Southington, a two-year captain for ECSU softball and her daughter wears No. 6 at Tolland to honor her.
"They've taught me to stay humble," Czerwinski said. "I get things from both of them but the one who has helped me more through this process is my dad. I'm the one always asking him can we go to the field, can we do this or that. He's always been coaching and I've been the one to tag along. I want to be as successful as he's been."
Mitchell has known nothing but success the last two years.
As a sophomore she led the Patriots to the Class S semifinals before enjoying a dream season as a junior. Coventry won the North Central Connecticut Conference title and then captured its first state championship by defeating Cromwell 3-2 in the Class S final.
She had all the decisions in the Patriots' 24-2 season. In 161 innings she allowed only 75 hits and struck out 238 for her second consecutive 200-strikeout season. Her earned run average was 1.17. At the plate, she hit .405 with a home run -- a walk-off against Rockville All-State pitcher Alexis Real -- and 26 RBIs. She had 32 hits and scored 36 runs. She was named all-NCCC and Class S All-State for the second straight year. The NCCC featured strong pitching that included Mitchell, Real, and Ellington's Camryn Fisher, who committed to Syracuse in October.
"My freshman year was hard with a back injury so I wasn't at all healthy," Mitchell said. "My sophomore year was a learning curve with pitching because it was basically my first season. My junior year I used what I learned my sophomore year and then some. I worked with my catcher more. We all had better communication on the field. We practiced harder.
"This year we have four other seniors and they're fantastic. We're a work in progress. We've got some great freshmen coming in. They'll be helpful in replacing the seniors that graduated."
The honor roll student will need to step up as a leader and she has already proven she can step up on the field. In the Class S semifinal a season ago against Shepaug Valley, she fired a four-hit shutout with eight strikeouts as the Patriots reached their first final since 1985 and ended a 10-game losing streak in the semifinal round.
Against Cromwell, she allowed two hits and two runs in the first inning then blanked the Panthers on two hits the rest of the way as Coventry pulled out the win on a two-run inside-the-park home run by Lindsey Harrington. Mitchell struck out eight and tossed a perfect seventh to clinch the title.
She knows Coventry will have a target on its back this spring.
"Last year we were 11-0, 16-0, 17-0 and every single team was coming after us," Mitchell said. "I think we made a few enemies, Cromwell, Shepaug. I'm sure they're angry we ruined their years."
But come September 2024 it will be a new team and new challenge. For Mitchell and Czerwinski, they will have come full circle.
"That would be great and so exciting to pitch to Lauren again," Mitchell said. "It would be amazing to go to Saint Peter's together and win a MAAC championship."
It’s Thursday afternoon and my kids and I are at a public library in Jersey City. They’re kind of nervous because we’re here for a book reading and we’re about to meet the author. For my son, who’s 8 and loves all things science, the event’s “kind of a big deal.” After all, he says matter-of-factly, “the writer loves science too and he’s just like two years older than me.” That&rsquo...
It’s Thursday afternoon and my kids and I are at a public library in Jersey City. They’re kind of nervous because we’re here for a book reading and we’re about to meet the author. For my son, who’s 8 and loves all things science, the event’s “kind of a big deal.” After all, he says matter-of-factly, “the writer loves science too and he’s just like two years older than me.” That’s right. Ishaan Gupta, a fifth grader at Frank R. Conwell, is the author we’re here to see.
He’s reading excerpts of his new self-published book, “The Martian Miracle: Ivaan and the Climate Crisis,” that’s on global warming — yes, global warming! It follows the story of Ivaan, “a middle school prodigy, grappling with life’s challenges while being profoundly aware of the looming global warming threat.” Ishaan, who’s wearing a t-shirt with his book cover on it, and black glasses that my son giddily tells me look just like his own, makes his way to the front of the room like he’s done this a thousand times.
He quickly starts to speak and tells us his book-writing journey began two years ago when he “was much younger ...you know, 8.″ “I’ve always really cared about the environment, mostly thanks to my dad,” he says. “He’s the one, who started teaching me about why it’s important to take care of the planet, and about wildfires, flooding, all of that ... both of my parents, really, but you know, my dad and I, we both really like to write so we started talking about it and decided to write this book together.”
His dad and co-author Binit Kumar, an immigrant from eastern India whose day job is in finance, is standing in the corner of the room intently watching his son speak. Behind his own black glasses, his eyes shine with pride as Ishaan talks about “all the simple ways” he and his family try to combat climate change and how others can, too. “There’s recycling, you can plant trees or a garden, walking more,” he says.
Writing the book together, Binit later tells me, started “as a way for us to bond.” “But it’s incredible to see what it’s become, he really has the power to inspire other children, and even adults, to learn about and care about the urgent need for global warming mitigation.”
In the front row, about six school-aged children are also watching and listening to Ishaan intently. And with the short attention span kids have, I’m shocked by how he’s captivating them. During the Q and A portion of the event, after the reading, some of them raise their hands to ask questions. They want to know how often he writes, what kinds of books he likes and what the process of “collaborating” with his dad was like.
He tells them when he was writing the book he’d write daily. “But don’t think it was whole chapters, that would be too much,” he says. “Sometimes it was just a page or two.” He tells them his favorite book series include “George’s Secret Key to the Universe,’ ‘Space Case,’ ‘Keeper of the Lost Cities,’ “and of course, ‘Harry Potter.’”
“Now, about the writing process,” he says. “We had brainstorming sessions to talk about the different chapters and before we wrote, we actually talked a lot about what we were going to write.” (Now, that’s something I can relate to.) His dad, he explains, focused more on the “scientific aspect” of the book and “refined and edited the paragraphs involving science.” “What I was really good at, was the characters’ conversation and dialogue,” he says excitedly.
“That’s so true,” his mom, Suruchi Gupta, beams. “His dad and I were both really impressed by that. He’s always been so smart and he’s so good at so many things,” she tells me. “He’s also really great at math and has won several math competitions but this, writing, is something that he really loves.” Ishaan says when he grows up he’d like to “be both, a mathematician and a writer” and tells the crowd he already has some ideas for “Ivaan’s next adventure.”
After answering all the pressing questions from the audience, Ishaan tells us it’s time for a raffle. One “lucky kid” was getting a copy of his book. “And I’ll sign it!” he exclaimed. “This is actually my favorite part of writing,” he adds. “Sharing it with others.”
When he called out the winner — and it wasn’t my son — I saw the disappointment on his face. “Awww!,” he looked over at me. “I was off by one number. So close!” “We have more books,” Ishaan says and asks his parents if he can give away another one. They nod. “Yes!! I have one more chance,” my son says.
Thankfully, luck was on his side the second time. “Oh my God! I won!” he says before jumping out of his seat. “It’s so awesome to see this,” Tyara Tucker, the library manager at Pavonia Branch, tells me. “I mean, a 10-year-old author and what he’s writing about, which is such an important topic ...it’s ‘wow!’ and to see other kids so excited about it, I’m hoping it’s an encouragement to them to also want to write and want to publish a book.”
On the way home, as my son flips through the pages of Ishaan’s book, I ask him if he’d also like to write a book one day. “Well, maybe,” he says. “I mean, I’m thinking about it. It could be fun. His dad helped him. The good thing is you’re already a writer so you could help me, right?” Right. Maybe we should both follow Ishaan’s advice: “If you really want to do something, like write a book, you don’t have to wait. You can start now.”
Ishaan’s book is available in paperback at select bookstores in N.J. as well as on Kindle and Amazon. He’s doing more readings at Pavonia Branch in Jersey City and plans to do some at other libraries in the state.
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JERSEY CITY, NJ- Team Wilderness, a Jersey City-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering urban teens through "experiential" outdoor excursions, has been awarded the 2023 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for Healthy Communities.The organization serves urban teens by using an experiential educational model that aims to grow leadership and character through wilderness excursions. According to Team Wilderness, they have provided over 9,000 hours of outdoors time to over 550 youth throughout Hudson...
JERSEY CITY, NJ- Team Wilderness, a Jersey City-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering urban teens through "experiential" outdoor excursions, has been awarded the 2023 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for Healthy Communities.
The organization serves urban teens by using an experiential educational model that aims to grow leadership and character through wilderness excursions. According to Team Wilderness, they have provided over 9,000 hours of outdoors time to over 550 youth throughout Hudson County in 2023.
"This award is great recognition of our staff's hard work and dedication to closing the nature gap for marginalized communities that lack equitable access to wild and clean outdoor spaces," said Steve Cunningham, founder and Executive Director of Team Wilderness. "Hiking up a mountain, rappelling down a cliff, and watching your first sunset from a mountaintop helps you look inward and shape who you are. Everyone deserves to experience that regardless of their zip code."
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The Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards has been a statewide environmental awards program in New Jersey since 2000. The awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that "demonstrate commitment and leadership on a variety of environmental issues, including environmental justice, climate change, sustainability and education."
"The achievements of this year’s award winners capture the essence of environmentalism in New Jersey and set a shining example for us all to follow,” said Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn LaTourette. “It’s an honor to celebrate their determined efforts to protect the state’s natural resources and help others connect to nature.”
Team Wilderness’ signature programs include Wilderness Club, Photography Club, and Summer Treks. In addition to physical activity, each Team Wilderness excursion is integrated with "social and emotional" reflection on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
Additionally, in 2023, the organization integrated Compass Project, an academic coaching program that guides students from grade 10 through their first two years of college. It also integrated North Star Project as well, which offers a free short-term youth counseling program that emphasizes wilderness and adventure therapy.
For more information, go to teamwilderness.org.