Item M05BOARD of COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date:, Jan, 19, 2012 --
Bulk Item: Yes X No
Division: BOCC
Department: DISTRICT FIVE
Staff Contact Person/Phone # :
Donna Manson — --8787
AGENDA. ITEM WORDING: Approval for a joint participation with South Florida National
Parks Trust, the Isaac Walton League, and the Florida Keys Environmental Fund to provide
three educationaI trips into the Everglades for Monroe County students,
ITEMBACKGROUND: See attached Miami Herald article
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION;
CONTRACTAGREEMENT REEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST* $4,000 BUDGETED:, Yes � No x
COST To COUNTY: $2,000 SOURCE OF FUNDS: general
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes N x AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED : County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION: Included x Not Required�
DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM
Revised 11/06
THE WANT HERALD I MiamiHerald.com
H1 TUE DA , DECEMBER 6, 2011 2 "A
OTHER VIEWS
THEEVERGLADES
E
Opening the outdoors to children
BY DON FINEFROCK
www..southfloridaparks.org
ulie Callaway tools a class of fourth -
grade students from Florida City
Elementary on a field trip this year
to Everglades National Park. Although the
students attend school just a few Fides
from the park, most had never been to the
Everglades. "we had an amazing time,,, the
teacher told hark rangers, "This was an
especiauy meaningful trip for our students
s they come from a community which is
not well-off' financially. Most of them had
never been to the
erea►d s!
l 9.
The National. Park
Service has been in-
troducing kids to the
_ Everglades sine 1971
with education pro-
grams that inspire
students to learn
FINEFROCK through exploration
and to think about
the world around them and the variety of
life i their backyard.
Everglades National Dark recently cele-
brated the 40th anniversary of its environ-
mental education program at an evert that
looped back to the begYnn 9 Retired
teacher Gwen Nelson, an early participant,
spoke about her love for the camping pro-
gram and her dream of becoming a ranger.
That dream came true — for her daughter.
Paula Nelson-hokar, the daughter who
refused to go camping, now shares her
mother's passion for the Everglades. She
grew up to be a foil -time teacher and part--
time ranger who leads her own students
on camping trips mi the park.
The Everglades Education Program
began. �n 11 as a pilot project that brought
inner-city students to Sham Valley for the
day, The response was overwhelming.
.More than 1,230 students from 27 schools
participated that first year. "The children
considered this trig the highlight of the
school year and have not stopped talking
about it,'y one teacher wrote. The park
responded by scheduling more day pro-
grams in 1972 and by adding camping trips
in 1973.
Today the program is widely regarded a
model within. the National Park Service
with a dedicated staff ofpark rangers, a
loyal following of teachers and tens of
thousands of alai scattered across South
Florida,
Since the program began, more than
0,000 students and teachers have ex-
plored the Everglades on field trips. This
year alone, the program will welcome
13,000 students and teachers from 100
schools to the park. Most of those students
attend classes iM Mami-Dade, but the
program reaches students in seven other
counties as well, including Froward, Palm.
Beach. and Monroe.
All of the programs offered by the park
are curriculum -based and teachers are
required to attend workshops before they
can bring students to the park. Perhaps
most irnportautly, the programs are offered
free of charge. That allows the parr to
successfully reach students from all major
demographic groups in South Florida.
Hispanic students make up approximately
65 percent of enrollment, non -Hispanic
white students 16 percent, African. Amer-
ican 14 percent and Haitian -American
percent.
The park's education staff and teachers
Re Gwen Nelson deserve much of the
credit for the progranes success. Ever-
glades Superintendent Dan Kimball and
his staff deserve credit as well for heir
JOE RIMS JR.IMIAMI HERALD STUFF
Are Everglades apple snail !rite dives down to snare a snail.
commitment to the program despite tight-
er budgets. NPS continues to commit
scarce resources to environmental educa-
tion in South Florida, but the truth is the
park can no longer afford to provide pro-
grams without outside support.
A number of donors have stepped up to
support the program, most notably Toyota,
which donated 1 million and five vehicles
in 2007. ells Fargo, the Peacock Founda-
tion and The Warm' Foundation have pro-
ved support as well, allowing the park to
offer a full slate of programs throughout
the school year.
'By supporting Everglades education,
each of these organizations is investing mi
the future of South Florida. and the fate of
the Everglades itself. The multibillion
dollar effort to restore the Everglades will
require a constituency of support among
the next generation.
Teaching kids the value of this unique
ecosystem is a first step. The education
program, at Everglades National park rep-
resents an investment in our children, and
our future. we believe this program de-
serves the full support of the South Florida
Community.
Dori Fire, frog the executive director of
the South Florida National Parks must, a
not -for -profit organization that supports
South Florida's four national parks through
fundraising and community outreacit