The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has recently announced the allocation of $108,304 in grants to support water resources education projects in the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. Fifty-one educators within the district have been awarded grants of up to $3,000 each to facilitate engaging and hands-on learning experiences for students in four topics: water cycle basics, freshwater or estuary ecosystems, water quality and water supply and conversation.
The district has recognized and awarded grants to the following local schools and teachers:
Bailey Elementary School- Tara Vaughn
Knights Elementary School- Caylee Thompson
Plant City High School- Hayley Schemmel
Thompson, a third-grade teacher at Knights Elementary, was awarded $700 to provide a hands-on learning experience that correlates with grade-level standards regarding classifying plants and animals. She’ll be using the funds to purchase a half-day exploration program from Mad Science. “They will come out and give a hands-on demonstration for the entire third grade,” she said. “We were also able to get funds to purchase project consumables for the teachers to continue the learning in their classrooms- materials such as copy paper, binding for student passports and packs of markers.”
Bailey Elementary School science teacher Tara Vaughn said her school was awarded $2,251.49 to take third grade students on a field trip to Crystal Springs Preserve in Zephyrhills. “At Crystal Springs Preserve students will participate in a program called Hanging Out in the Habitat where they will explore wilderness areas and be introduced to native and non-native species found along the Hillsborough River and local springs,” said Vaughn.
As part of the grant students will participate in lessons provided by the SWFWMD ” Life in Florida’s Freshwater Wetland Communities,” which will provide students with background knowledge before going on the field trip. They’re also required to complete a post-activity to share what they learned. Students will create posters visualizing the importance of wetlands and a library display on wetlands and Florida habitats. “We are very excited for this experience, all of the activities and the program at Crystal Springs Preserve are academic-based and connect in some way to our Science standards,” said Vaughn.
Students will also receive a book, “The Florida Water Story: The Wetlands of Florida” to keep as a remembrance of the experience.
For more information about these grants and the water education programs they support, visit WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.