The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 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:
- Bailey Elementary School - Tara Vaughn
- Heritage Elementary School - Jean Josephson
- Knights Elementary School - Caylee J Thompson
- McDonald Elementary School - Judy Der
- Oak Park Elementary School - Kaylin Schemmel
- Plant City High School - Hayley Mollmann
- Shaw Elementary School - Jennifer Gross
- South County Career Center - Ryan Johnson-Lerch
- Tampa Bay Technical High School - Julie Sackles
- Wharton High School - Christi Atkinson
- Wilson Middle School - Jerry John Comellas
Grants are available to support water education programs and activities that are focused on water cycle basics, freshwater or estuarian ecosystems, water quality and water conservation. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.