Cranberries and New Jersey have a long history together. The Lenni Lenape people harvested wild cranberries to use them in food, drinks, even medicines. Commercial Cranberry farming began in 1835, in a bog in Burlington County. 

And now, Cranberry Juice is officially New Jersey’s state juice. It’s an effort made possible because of dedicated letter writing, lobbying and even testimony at a state Senate hearing by fourth-grade students from Eleanor Rush Intermediate School in Cinnaminson.

Teacher Erin Zarzycki, and two of the students, rising fifth-graders Gabriella Fennell and Robert Minniti, joined Michael Hill on WNYC's Morning Edition to tell us how this all came together.  

Erin, Gabriella, Robert, welcome to morning edition.