Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors is proud to feature families, groups and individuals who make a difference in our community. This month, we turn our attention to Janet Krevenas. We are excited to highlight Janet’s tireless work and dedication to supporting and preserving our community’s natural resources. We are excited to honor Janet as our 2025 Newtown Square Friend & Neighbor of The Year!
Janet has called Newtown Square her home for over 42 years and has enjoyed every minute of it. She raised her son Peter here, who graduated from Marple Newtown High School and is now a special education teacher in Florida. And she and her long-time partner, Harry, love cheering on our Philadelphia Phillies, Eagles, taking trips to the Jersey shore and exploring tropical islands. Her sister, Pam, and she have had many adventures to countries around the world.
Janet spent her childhood in Abington with her parents and two sisters. Janet was an active child who played clarinet in the band, was a member of her high school lacrosse team and loved learning about science in school and also from her father, who was a chemist. “I am very thankful that my
father took the time to teach his daughters about science,” Janet said. “I found it fascinating and decided that I wanted to study biology and zoology in college.” She spent her undergraduate years at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, earning her degree in Zoology. Janet then spent time in research working at Sloan-Kettering in New York City, then at the University of Pennsylvania’s Hospital in their medical research department.
While Janet enjoyed her work in research, her passion and desire to teach and inspire children were pulling on her heartstrings. She wanted to
encourage kids to love science just as she had as a child. “I decided to enroll in Temple University’s teaching certification program, earned my certificate, and began a fulfilling 30-year career teaching science to elementary school children in Philadelphia.” Janet spent most of those 30 years at
Albert M. Greenfield School in Center City.
Janet described her classroom as curious and interactive. “I always had different animals in my classroom and we enjoyed learning about their role in our environment,” she said. “We also conducted many experiments that got the kids excited about finding solutions to problems and learning about how the world works.” Janet especially loved hearing about how she helped to inspire and influence her students in their career choices. “Many of my
students have gone on to become doctors and scientists, which makes me very proud!”
It’s not surprising that when it came time to retire from teaching, Janet continued to share her passion for education with others. She began volunteering at the Philadelphia Zoo as a docent. A docent is a trained volunteer educator who shares their knowledge of animals and conservation with the public. The zoo is also where Janet became fascinated with birds. “I recall listening to a lecture by naturalist and author Scott Weidensaul discussing the miracle of migration and how to protect our feathered friends, notably Red Knot Birds,” Janet explained. “Each year, these tiny
birds make an astounding 8,000 to 9,000-mile, one-way trip from the tip of South America to above the Arctic Circle.”
Docents often pick their favorite animal at the zoo, lead tours, engage visitors at exhibits and assist with educational programs. Janet said her love of birds led to her developing a Migration Station cart where visitors to the zoo can learn more about the migration of birds, as well as Monarch butterflies, which migrate for 3,000 miles from North America to a mountainside in Mexico. Over her 20 years volunteering at the zoo, Janet’s passion, drive and enthusiasm were recognized, earning her various positions with the Docent Council, including President.
Her interest spilled over into her Newtown community in 2016 when Janet said she was given a pack of milkweed seeds by another zoo docent. Milkweed is essential for the caterpillars of Monarch butterflies to thrive. “I went home and scattered some seeds in my yard, but wondered what to do with the remaining seeds,” Janet said. “I decided to call the township to ask if there were places where I could plant them.” Janet said she was referred to Newtown Township’s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) to help guide her in her efforts to support our environment and our monarch butterflies, as milkweed is the only plant that the caterpillars can thrive on. Milkweed also plays a vital role as a nectar source for other species of butterflies, as well as a wide variety of bumblebees, honeybees, wasps, flies, beetles and even hummingbirds.
Janet’s relationship with the members of EAC flourished, and she was appointed as a member in 2017 by the Board of Supervisors. She volunteered to lead the Audubon Bird Town program and became a leader in educating the public on sustainable practices for birds, as well as working to conserve and protect our natural resources with her fellow EAC members. Sheila O’Sullivan Feeney serves as Chair of the EAC. She said, “Janet is a vital and highly respected member of the Environmental Advisory Council (EAC), where her unwavering passion for sustainability and environmental stewardship is evident in every initiative she undertakes. Her commitment to community engagement and ecological preservation consistently inspires those around her.”
In 2022, the Board of Supervisors passed Resolution 2022-10 to become a Bird Town under the umbrella of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council. Bird Town PA works in partnership with municipalities across Pennsylvania to promote conservation and community-based actions to create a healthy, more sustainable environment for birds, wildlife and people. Janet serves as the Secretary on the Board of Bird Town, Pennsylvania.
Today, Janet is the leader of Newtown Township’s Bird Town PA program that works throughout the year to help residents make their properties more bird-friendly. Janet plays a pivotal role in guiding the program’s growth and success. Through her advocacy and collaborative efforts, Newtown Township earned the distinguished Gold Level Certification from Bird Town PA for three years in a row—a testament to her dedication and the positive impact of her work. Janet’s contributions continue to elevate the mission of the EAC and advance Newtown Township’s commitment to biodiversity and sustainable practices.
“Janet is an ardent advocate for the natural world, as she informs and inspires others to better steward the land entrusted to us,” remarked Cindy Mehallow, Newtown Township’s EAC Vice Chair. “Through her consistent and persistent work, she is a quiet catalyst, leaving an indelible imprint on Newtown Square. All residents of our community — from people and pollinators to birds and animals — are better off today because of her work. And future generations will benefit from her dedication. It is a pleasure and an inspiration to serve with her on the Environmental Advisory
Council and Bird Town Newtown Square.”
Janet said that there are many things residents can do to make a difference: Choose to plant a native plant garden that provides habitat and food for pollinators like butterflies and moths. Baby birds are nourished by insects. Leave the leaves in your garden in the fall to support over wintering insects and don’t spray for mosquitoes as those chemicals kill other beneficial insects. Every fall and spring, during migration season, residents and the public are invited to participate in a Bird Walk. This year, the walks on the grounds of Garrett Williamson were led by two professional birding guides from the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club.
You will always find Janet and her fellow EAC members at resource and education tables at various events throughout the township. Janet said that this year, they distributed brochures: Building Bird Habitat and What Is Citizen Science.
“Newtown Square is proud to be designated as a bird town,” Janet remarked. “We are always happy to teach our residents the importance of a healthy bird population and to help them understand more about birds, their migration, their habitats and ways to make their properties more bird-friendly.” She is especially proud that the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors passed the Lights Out Proclamation this spring and enjoys working together with other volunteer committees in Newtown Square.
Thank you, Janet, for your incredible commitment to our community and our environment. Your story, hard work and dedication are both admirable and inspirational. You are Our 2025 Newtown Square Friend & Neighbor of The Year. Our hope in sharing your story is to have more of our friends and neighbors get involved so that we can all do our part to preserve and protect our valuable resources.
Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.