Bronxville High School Science Teacher Stephen Kovari Receives Green Medallion Award for Bronx River Research Program

Bronxville High School science teacher Stephen Kovari has been selected as this year’s sole recipient of the Eastchester Environmental Committee’s prestigious Green Medallion Award, recognizing his outstanding work engaging students in authentic environmental research and stewardship of the Bronx River.  

Kovari, who teaches the yearlong Bronx River Research course, was celebrated at a community event on Dec. 4 at Broken Bow Brewery in Tuckahoe. The ceremony included remarks from U.S. Representative George Latimer, as well as Westchester County and Eastchester town officials, all of whom honored Kovari for his meaningful contributions. NYS Senator Mayer and Assemblymember Paulin issued official proclamations recognizing his work. 

Kovari’s course centers on two essential questions: Is the Bronx River healthy? and What can we do to improve the health of the Bronx River? Students explore these questions through a series of field and laboratory investigations involving water chemistry, stream flow, soils, insects, trees, and the impact of human activity. In the spring, students design and conduct independent research projects, many of which extend beyond the school year and are presented at the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair or at professional scientific conferences.  

A defining feature of the program is its vertically aligned curriculum, which connects high school students with Bronxville elementary and middle school classes. Through these collaborations, younger learners explore Bronx River biodiversity and environmental science alongside high school mentors, strengthening district-wide engagement in hands-on ecological study. 

The program’s roots extend back to 2015, when a Bronxville School Foundation grant funded the first Bronx River research project led by two students and a science teacher. That early investment helped spark the sustained scientific inquiry that has since grown into today’s comprehensive, district-wide program. 

Service learning is also central to the course. Kovari’s students organize multiple Bronx River clean-up initiatives each year, partnering with high school classmates and occasionally middle school groups to remove debris, assess riverbank conditions, and contribute meaningfully to the health of the local watershed.