District awards Blue School Grants to 14 schools for water resource education

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Students looking at water quality tests

St. Johns Technical School received a Blue School Grant for an agricultural water quality project in a previous round of funding.

Students looking at water quality tests

St. Johns Technical School received a Blue School Grant for an agricultural water quality project in a previous round of funding.

PALATKA, Fla., Sept. 27, 2019 — Fourteen schools are receiving grant funding from the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Blue School Grant Program for projects to enhance student development in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related topics and increase understanding of Florida’s water resources.

“It’s exciting to see interest in the Blue School Grant program continue to grow, and I thank every teacher who applied for project funding,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle. “I commend all of these educators for supporting water resource education and STEM, and I look forward to seeing the Blue School Grant-funded projects move forward in the months ahead.”

Forty-four teachers applied for funding, a record number for the program which is now in its fourth year. A total of 13 projects were selected, one of which is a joint service-learning project between two partnering schools.

Each school year, the program offers a total of $20,000 in financial support to teachers working to promote water resource protection through hands-on learning opportunities.

Grants of up to $2,000 per teacher are awarded for a range of 6-12th grade educational programs to enhance student knowledge of Florida’s water resources. Projects may include water conservation garden projects, water conservation classroom/community awareness projects and freshwater resources educational programs.

Schools receiving 2019–20 Blue School Grant funds are:

  • Arlington Middle School, Duval County, for a freshwater resources field study;
  • Buddy Taylor Middle School, Flagler County, for a freshwater resources field study;
  • C. H. Price Middle School, Putnam County, for a water conserving landscape project;
  • Creekside High School and Freedom Crossing Academy, St. Johns County, for a joint service-learning freshwater resources field study;
  • Darnell-Cookman Middle/High School, Duval County, for a freshwater resources field study;
  • Frank H. Peterson Academies, Duval County, for a freshwater resources field study
  • Gray Middle School, Lake County, for a freshwater resources field study;
  • Kernan Middle School, Duval County, for a water-conserving landscape and school awareness campaign;
  • P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, Alachua County, for a water-conserving landscape project;
  • St. Johns Technical School, St. Johns County, for a water-conserving landscape project;
  • Stone Magnet Middle School, Brevard County, for a water-conserving landscape project;
  • Vanguard High School, Marion County, for a freshwater resources field study;
  • Winter Springs High School, Seminole County, for a freshwater resources field study.

For information about Blue School Grants, visit the district’s website at www.sjrwmd.com/education/blue-school/.