Four Marion County teachers are among the record number of educators who applied for and received Splash! mini-grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
This year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 209 educators totaling more than $413,000. That’s 72 more grant recipients than last year.
Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’s school board contacts and classroom teachers, as well as decreases in school budgets.
“These teachers are receiving a small amount of money but are able to accomplish so much,” said Hull. “Mini-grant recipients also utilize the District’s great collection of curriculum materials as well as learn about other opportunities, including teacher training and District-funded field trips in their region.”
The Marion County awardees include:
- Monica Acosta,West Port High School, will receive $1,216.05. Students will visit Rainbow Springs State Park, KP Hole Park and Lake Weir to determine the current water quality of these local water resources and investigate possible sources of pollution. Upon completion of the project, they will publish their findings to educate residents on what they can do to help.
- Mary Blanchette,Dunnellon Elementary School, will receive $1,719.95. Students will plant and maintain both hydroponic and traditional vegetable gardens. They will document their observations and compare the amount of water used throughout the course of the project.
- Janis Cross,Dunnellon High School, will receive $1,464. Students will conduct a study of the abandoned phosphate mining pits located at Rainbow Springs State Park. They will investigate whether Florida’s ground water is currently being polluted by past and present mining by visiting a mining plant in Bartow. Students will create information boards with data, student-constructed maps, charts and illustrations.
- Dawn LaDucer,Dunnellon Middle School, will receive $600. Students will research freshwater topics and critical issues regarding Florida’s freshwater. They will also develop a conservation awareness campaign that will include creating flyers, brochures and the use of display boards, which they will present to the other science classes at the school.
Last year two mini-grants were awarded in Marion County.
The goal of the mini-grant program is to promote hands-on water resources education that teaches students about their local watersheds and the water resources within them. Splash! mini-grants provide up to $5,000 per school on a reimbursement basis only and are available to public, private and home school teachers.
Past mini-grant projects include water quality monitoring of local lakes and rivers, the development of water-conserving gardens on school properties, and outreach campaigns designed to promote awareness of water-conserving practices.
In addition to mini-grant funding, the District offers educators free teacher training workshops, speakers for classroom presentations and free educational materials. The publications are correlated to Florida’s Sunshine State Standards and can also be ordered on the District’s web site at www.WaterMatters.org/publications/ .