Starting in February, REEF is excited to welcome eight classes from Key Largo School to our Ocean Exploration Center for hands-on educational field trips. These visits are made possible through the UWCK Marine Science Education Grant, funded by the United Way of Collier and the Keys and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, with additional support from REEF. By covering transportation costs, the grant removes a major barrier for local schools and makes it possible for hundreds of students to visit REEF's Ocean Exploration Center and engage directly with marine science. The grant’s goal is to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards through experiential learning, and REEF is proud to help bring this opportunity to life. Over 400 students, ranging from 1st through 8th grades, will participate in customized programs designed to align with their grade level and learning objectives.
During their visit, students explore the power of citizen science through programs like REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Project and learn about invasive species, with a special focus on the impacts of lionfish in the Tropical Western Atlantic. Students also discover how coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, and terrestrial ecosystems are interconnected, and how human actions influence them all. Through interactive activities such as scavenger hunts, fish surveys, arts and crafts, and the always-popular lionfish dissection, students leave with a clear understanding that individual actions matter. The goal is for all students to leave the program as citizen scientists, empowered to take action and contribute to the health of their community and local environment.