The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.
Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.
The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in its northern region:
- Brooksville Elementary School – Rachel Vascellaro (Hernando)
- Central High School – Rachel M. Kingdom (Hernando)
- Dunnellon Elementary School – Nancy Garvin (Marion)
- Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology – Eliza Mantooth (Hernando)
- Lecanto High School – Cori Rohan (Citrus)
- South Sumter High School - Thomas Roger Allison (Sumter)
- South Sumter Middle School - Patricia Heijkoop (Sumter)
- Sparr Elementary School – Rachel Keene (Marion)
- Webster Elementary School – Leslie Mancini (Sumter)
- Williston Elementary School - Pricilla Fugate (Levy)
Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.