By: Richard L. Smith
Four ambitious high school students from Hackensack have received national recognition for an innovative environmental initiative that transforms food waste into a natural herbicide.
Leo Toake, Muhammad El-Sherbiny, Elle Kim, and Justin Ahn—students at Bergen County Academies, earned third prize and a $2,500 award in the Bill of Rights Institute’s prestigious MyImpact Challenge.
The students co-founded Re:Imagine Inc., a community-driven nonprofit aimed at restoring parks, forests, and green spaces in an ecologically sound and cost-effective way.
Their project tackles two pressing issues: the rise of invasive plant species threatening local biodiversity and the vast amounts of food waste sent to landfills.
Through partnerships with local businesses, volunteers, and nature centers, Re:Imagine Inc. collects compostable food scraps and processes them into a natural herbicide.
This product targets invasive plants without compromising soil or water health. In just a short time, the group has processed over 500 pounds of food waste, planted more than 100 native keystone species, and organized 12 trail cleanups to fight erosion and littering in local natural areas.
“By empowering volunteers, students, and local leaders to participate in this process, we’re building a culture where environmental health is seen as a shared right and duty,” the students wrote in their winning essay. “At its heart, Re:Imagine Inc. believes ecological stewardship is a civic and moral obligation.”
The MyImpact Challenge, organized by the nonpartisan Bill of Rights Institute, invites students across the country to create service projects that embody core constitutional principles such as liberty, equality, and justice.
This year’s competition drew more than 400 participants from across the United States.
David Bobb, President and CEO of the Bill of Rights Institute, praised the Hackensack team for putting their civic knowledge into action.
“Civic education is about teaching young people to put principles into practice,” Bobb said. “MyImpact Challenge gives students a chance to work within their communities to solve real problems and create opportunities for their fellow citizens.”
The contest awarded over $40,000 in prizes to students and teachers this year.