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 Hillsborough County:
- Belmont Elementary School - Rebecca Foster
- Buchanan Middle School - Walter Watts and Monique Guerard
- Chiles Elementary School - Lori Hanson
- East Bay High School - Michelle Laycock
- Greco Middle School - Jennifer Butler
- Hill Middle School - Michelle Guagliardo
- Ippolito Elementary School - Theresa Graves
- Lomax Elementary Magnet School - Sarah Henix
- Pivot Charter School - Debra Gwyn
- Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary School - Jacob Gill
- Terrace Community Middle School - Elizabeth Mila
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.