The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $113,138 in grants to 52 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:
- Central High School – Rachel Kingdom (Hernando)
- Citrus Springs Middle School – Alberta Okoro (Citrus)
- Dunnellon Elementary School – Nancy Garvin (Marion)
- Harbour View Elementary School – Melissa Leon (Marion)
- South Sumter High School – Stephanie Yarbrough (Sumter)
- Sumter P.R.E.P. Academy – Robert A. Piwowar (Sumter)
- Webster Elementary School – Brandon Cockayne (Sumter)
- Wildwood Elementary School – Paul Mannino (Sumter)
- Wildwood Middle High School – Brittny Sanders (Sumter)
- Williston Middle-High School – Kristen Brown (Levy)
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.