Jennifer Diaz, vice president of education with the Everglades Foundation, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about the organization.
The Everglades Foundation has a literacy program.
Diaz said, “We’re so proud of this program. This year, we are hitting our 11 year mile stone, and we’re an environmental education initiative that helps students and teachers understand about the Everglades and really helping them connect to their local ecosystem by improving a number of skills and education as well, including reading, writing, math, civics and we even integrate into PE, so we have a free pre K through high school curriculum and teacher training initiative.”
Where do the teachers start in this process?
Diaz said, “I suggest they start at our website. It’s evergladesliteracy.org. Everything is free and accessible for anybody who wants to click. I would start at your free teacher toolkit. Everything is itemized by grade level, and then reach out to us to schedule a training. We have a team of amazing coordinators that are ready to deploy from Orlando to Key West and support your teachers and provide them, not just the training face to face, but also all the curriculum that they need for their classroom, and that includes all the copies, all the hula hoops, all the Play-dough, everything that aligns to our lesson.”
What schools in the Keys are now involved with the program?
Diaz said, “We have a number of schools that have teachers training in them, so we’re very happy for the school district and their support in that. We also have a long running Key Largo school. They have been champion school for several years, and actually, if you drive by their school, you’ll see their banners hanging out on the fence right where you come in to pick up your students. Ocean studies has been a long standing partner as well. We have Sigsbee Charter School and a new school called Coastal Glades Microschool. Those are our champion schools this year.”
What are some of the initiatives the schools have done to engage in Everglades literacy?
Diaz said, “They just wow us every year, from the classroom to the schoolyard to their community, they’re making such tremendous change. Murals in their school. They educate their community at different festivals and events. They have designed menus for a local restaurant to make sure there’s activities and questions about the Everglades on the children’s menus and just rehabbing the local environment, taking them on Kayak trips and snorkeling trips to understand and get closer to their environment, and then rehabbing different parks and even their school yard with native species.”
What about home schools and after school activities?
Diaz said, “We want to make sure everyone is trained, has the resources and access to all the work that we do here at the Everglades Foundation. So home schools, micro schools, after school care, everyone is welcome to our trainings, and everyone is welcome to ask to have a training at their site. Our next one is November 10. Key Largo school is hosting us. We’re so grateful for that. Public school teachers can register on frontline and anyone who’s outside of the public school system can email us at [email protected].”
How is teacher training requested?
Diaz said, “They can reach us at our website. It’s get involved and just right there, request a teacher training. Everything is there for them to fill out or reach out to any of our coordinators through our email at [email protected].”
Why is it important for kids in the Keys to learn about the Everglades?
Diaz said, “It’s our backyard, and we see it and drive by it and recreate in it almost every day. Also for its ecological significance. It is the largest subtropical wetland ecosystem. It is our water supply. And there are hundreds of species that call it home, both threatened and endangered as well, and then also for its economic value. It is a driver for our tourism, and it’s important to protect for many generations.”
What are some of the highlights of last year’s program?
Diaz said, “We trained a record number of teachers, almost 1,000 teachers last year. We also had a record number of champion schools, so 156 across the state, and becoming a champion school is not an easy task. I mean, we ask these schools to really start to think about, how do you shift your culture of your school, and really start thinking about, how do we protect and integrate environmental education on a daily basis? We’re really excited about this school year and so we just look forward to supporting the kids, offering them all the materials and support that they need in and outside of our schools. So reach out to us, we’ll be here to support you.” For more information, click here: https://www.evergladesfoundation.org/