This school year, REEF is excited to partner with Key Largo School on a new series of eight Discovery Programs, made possible through the Art Builds Community 2027 grant. Over the coming months, more than 400 local students will be invited to explore the natural ecosystems of the Florida Keys through hands-on art and environmental storytelling.
Each program is tailored to the age of participating students and combines environmental education with guided visual art activities. Alongside REEF educators, students will learn about some of the habitats that make the Florida Keys so special, including coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows, and discover the important roles these ecosystems play in their community.
From there, students are encouraged to think beyond the science and reflect on their own connections to these places. Through memories, experiences, and observations of the natural world around them, participants will consider how the Florida Keys have helped shape their own sense of place and home.
Using those reflections as inspiration, students will create original works of art that tell their stories and celebrate their relationship with the Florida Keys. Across the eight Discovery Programs, we hope to inspire creativity, environmental awareness, and a deeper personal connection to the ecosystems students see every day.
Learn more about REEF's Discovery Programs.