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Biographical Information

In Robert O'Donnell Jr.'s Jersey City classroom, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders get hands-on science experience as they work to transform an abandoned local reservoir into an urban oasis and environmental learning center, educating the wider community in the process. Through O'Donnell's commitment to increasing scientific literacy, Project Reservoir has become a nationally recognized program that has helped boost achievement at Christa McAuliffe School–PS 28, where about 75% of students are Hispanic and about 83% are considered economically disadvantaged. Before and after school, students can be found feeding mosquito-eating fathead minnows, culturing paramecia, maintaining 20 breeding tanks, analyzing data and modifying team prototypes. The aquaculture room, in fact, has become a field-trip destination for other schools, and Project Reservoir has partnerships with many organizations, including the Reservoir Preservation Alliance, St. Joseph's School for the Blind, the Concordia Learning Center, St. Peter's University, numerous public schools (P.S. #8, P.S. #25, Academy 1, P.S. #30) within Jersey City, and the Newark Museum—which O'Donnell persuaded to donate three 500-gallon fish tanks.

O'Donnell's classroom is a respectful, caring, collaborative place where he conveys high expectations of all. With the door always open to students and parents, he maintains a classroom website that has had more than 19,000 hits and a YouTube channel of past projects with more than 403,000 views. Former students return often to benefit from O'Donnell's continued mentoring. He is known for his sensitivity to students at risk, who go on to become successful college students.

His dedication to science education has resulted in improved test scores: More than 83% of O'Donnell's eighth-graders pass the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge science exam each year, outperforming the state average. During the 2012-13 school year his students won more than $56,000 in savings bonds from science competitions. O'Donnell, who has taught for 11 years and holds an M.A. in the teaching of physics, also coaches volleyball, basketball and track, and his teams have won numerous district championships.

O'Donnell is also a generous mentor to student teachers and to peers throughout the district who want to make Project Reservoir part of their science programs. He collaborates with other district educators and conducts presentations to colleagues on educational technology and hands-on science instruction. He is coordinator of PS 28's science fair and has represented PS 28 for events at the national level, including in 2013 when Project Reservoir were finalists in the U.S. Army's eCYBERMISSION, Siemens We Can Change the World, and the Lexus Eco Challenge, in 2012 when Project Reservoir won a Grand Prize in the Disney Planet Challenge and in 2010 when the school was named a finalist for an Intel Schools of Distinction Award for its STEM activities. As one administrator put it, Robert O'Donnell Jr. "serves as a model of excellence for the teaching profession."

Personal Message

Creation of Project Reservoir was assisted by administrators Dr. Janet Elder and Ms. Patricia Timmons and staff members Joel Naatus and Jennifer Mulewski. Joel Naatus continues to serve as a partnering coordinator of Project Reservoir with Robert O'Donnell, Jr., Malissa Yabut, and Christopher Brown at the Christa McAuliffe School (P.S. # 28) with the support of administrators Ms. Elaine Domingo and Mr. Hilario Nunez.

Robert O'Donnell, Jr. was born, raised, and resides in Jersey City, NJ. #221Science - Love...With Science too!