The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $107,969 in grants to 58 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:
- Academy of Environmental Science – Ciera Markey (Citrus)
- Academy of Environmental Science – Jessie Garritano (Citrus)
- Central High School – Rachel M. Kingdom (Hernando)
- Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology – Eliza Mantooth (Hernando)
- Dunnellon Elementary School – Nancy Garvin (Marion)
- Lake Panasoffkee Elementary School – Allen Ashley (Sumter)
- Webster Elementary School – Morgan Hansen (Sumter)
- Webster Elementary School – Jennifer Lovett (Sumter)
- Wildwood Middle High School – Jerry Lipham (Sumter)
- Lake Panasoffkee Elementary School – Grace Ashley (Sumter)
- Lake Panasoffkee Elementary School – Kali Reynolds (Sumter)
- South Sumter High School – Thomas R Allison (Sumter)
- Williston Elementary School – Maura Thompson (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.