TV Host Chris Morgan Makes Surprise Visit At Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD, NJ — TV personality and wildlife advocate Chris Morgan was set to appear virtually via video to speak with students t Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School (SPFHS) about environmental sciences and preservation.

But instead of a video call, Morgan flew from Seattle to surprise the students and teachers with an in-person chat on Thursday, Dec. 8.

The event started with the help of Zachary Rittner, the AP environmental science teacher at SPFHS and a longtime fan of Morgan’s podcast "The Wild with Chris Morgan."

“It was supposed to be a Zoom call, and he set it up so that he phoned in like normal but was complaining of some Wi-Fi issues,” Rittner said. “He explained that he wanted to change locations to see if the signal would be better. He then turned off his camera and walked into the auditorium asking, ‘Is this better?’ The kids and I went crazy!”

As an ecologist, bear specialist, author and filmmaker, Morgan has been a longtime advocate for protecting wildlife across the world — from endangered species to the animals in your backyard.

Morgan's podcast approaches the topic of conservation through multiple perspectives to gain a greater understanding of how to preserve the natural environment and the real effects of how we live.

A long-time listener of the podcast, Rittner started incorporating "The Wild" into his courses to bring this real perspective to his students.

Rittner reached out to Morgan after the host made an episode of his podcast on “The Wolf Ranger.” Because SPFHS was working on a case study on wolf preservation, Morgan agreed to speak to the students on the topic.

According to the school district, Morgan and Rittner formed a partnership over the summer to develop a lesson plan for environmental science courses across the nation that incorporate Morgan’s podcast as real-life examples of environmental preservation in action.

Rittner created, and now tests, the plan in his classrooms and with many of the clubs he leads in the school district.

"I was just captivated by Mr. Rittner and his big heart and the things that he's doing, and he just seemed to be one of those teachers that goes way above and beyond," Morgan said. "I'm a big fan of teachers, so when you find one that's as special as he is, you want to help him help these guys. They worship him and so I'll do anything to support Mr. Rittner in his work, he ticks all the boxes."

Their strong connection and dedication to preserving the natural world also led Morgan to make another surprise addition to the event’s agenda: asking Rittner to join him on a trip to Svalbard, Norway on a chartered ice-cutter.

Rittner will join as a special guest over the summer to help study and record episodes of "The Wild" on polar bears, whales, and other species in the Arctic.

The event last week allowed students from SPFHS to ask Morgan questions about his work and advice on life.

With the event finished, Rittner looks forward to his upcoming trip to Svalbard and to being able to share his experiences with his students next fall, the district wrote.