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NOAA and United Way recognize Monroe County as an Ocean Guardian School District; pilot rain gardens installed
Summary
Monroe County Schools were designated an Ocean Guardian School District through a partnership with NOAA and United Way of Collier and the Keys. Pilot projects installed rainwater filtration gardens and bioswales at three schools as part of a districtwide plan.
The Monroe County School District was formally recognized as an Ocean Guardian School District during Tuesday's board meeting in a presentation led by partners from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and United Way of Collier and the Keys.
Jessica Dockery, reef revitalization project liaison for United Way of Collier and the Keys, and representatives from NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary outlined a multi'year program in which the district will implement watershed stewardship projects across multiple schools. The district joins one other Ocean Guardian School District in the nation; the partnership will run district projects over a three'year pathway that includes pilot installations, districtwide operations and curriculum alignment.
Classroom and site work already completed includes pilot rainwater filtration gardens and bioswales at three pilot sites: Poinciana Elementary, Sugarloaf School (middle school level), and Key West High School. The gardens use native plants intended to filter stormwater runoff and reduce pollutant loads leaving school campuses and entering Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary waters.
Why it matters: The project aims to reduce stormwater runoff and related pollution into the local marine sanctuary and to integrate environmental stewardship into school curricula. Participants may receive multi'year funding through the Ocean Guardian School program to support project installation and stewardship activities.
District science coordinator Donna Tedesco and school teams led student research, plant selection and garden installation; staff described the Sugarloaf middle school rainwater garden designed to resemble the school's shark mascot. United Way and NOAA representatives said the district'level commitment includes establishing a district team, piloting the project at three schools and expanding to a larger share of schools during the second year before pursuing curricular outcomes and a district policy in the third.
United Way CEO Tiffany Mensch presented a small token of appreciation to the district and said the partnership reflects hands'on community engagement to protect the environment.
Sources: Presentations by Jessica Dockery (United Way), NOAA outreach staff, Donna Tedesco (district science coordinator) and Tiffany Mensch (United Way CEO).
