A Year of Growth in Everglades Education

June 15, 2026

Over the past year, The Everglades Foundation’s Everglades Literacy Program continued to show what is possible when teachers are equipped, students are inspired, and schools are empowered to make environmental learning part of everyday life.

Across Florida, educators brought the Everglades into classrooms, hallways, school gardens, and outdoor learning spaces, helping students see that this extraordinary ecosystem is not only part of their state’s natural heritage, but also part of their future.

Expanding the Reach of Everglades Learning

The Everglades Literacy Program’s ongoing momentum was visible in the program’s growing geographic reach. This year, the program expanded to 32 counties statewide. Within the Everglades Champion Schools network, 119 schools across 14 counties participated this year, including 32 schools that were new to the program. The expansion of Champion Schools and the adoption of Everglades EcoQuest in Lee and Collier counties reflect a rising interest among schools for meaningful, standards-aligned environmental education that engages students in ways that are both locally relevant and fun and memorable.

Teachers at the Center of the Story

At the center of the program’s growth were teachers. The Education team delivered 73 teacher trainings and trained 1,475 educators, bringing the cumulative total to 9,535 teachers reached. Seven outdoor professional development events gave educators opportunities to connect firsthand with the landscapes and ecological systems about which they teach, reinforcing the program’s emphasis on experiential learning. The teacher-first model is central to the Everglades Literacy Program, which invests in educators as the catalysts for lasting school and community change. At FAU’s Kissimmee Riverwoods Lab, Champion School teachers from across the watershed experienced river restoration firsthand with a pontoon tour, observing birds, fossils, and how hydrology and engineering support the ecosystem.

Everglades Champion School Teacher Lindsey Klink from American Heritage Schools, Broward Campus participated in Hike2O, a three-day, two-night backcountry hiking adventure for 30 miles from the ocean to Lake Okeechobee trailheads.

“My backpacking journey through the habitats of the Greater Everglades allows me to teach my students that the Everglades isn't just a place—it's a living, breathing, interconnected system we are all called to protect.”

Student Impact Extends Beyond the Classroom

More than 56,200 students were impacted in Champion Schools, while classroom and school-based presentations reached an additional 20,000 students. In many of the schools, Everglades education is becoming more than a lesson; it is becoming part of school culture. Students are learning through projects, presentations, and hands-on exploration that invite them to act in protecting Florida’s future. The program’s free curriculum, additional teacher resources, and school-wide recognition model are designed specifically to help schools sustain that kind of transformation over time.

Families, Creativity, and Community Connection

The year also underscored how Everglades literacy can extend beyond the classroom and into the broader community. “Families ForEverglades” brought families into the learning experience with free, “live” online presentations, while the annual Challenge Coin artwork contest inspired 930 student submissions, representing an extraordinary display of creativity, pride, and connection to place. Meanwhile, the Everglades Literacy Program continued to build visibility and leadership across the education field, earning school board recognitions in Lee and Charlotte counties, presentations at three statewide education conferences, and participation in five statewide and national conferences. Together, these milestones helped elevate the conversation around Everglades education and broaden its reach among educators and supporters alike.

This year’s winner is Julian, a fourth-grader from Virginia Shuman Young Elementary in Broward County. The design was inspired by Julian’s visits to the Everglades, where he observed these iconic species in the wild. Noticing that an American alligator had never been featured on a challenge coin, he chose this species to highlight its importance. Julian’s submission earned him recognition as the first elementary school winner—and the first winner from an Everglades Champion School.

The Education team traveled across the state to personally deliver Everglades Challenge Coins to our incredible student ambassadors, celebrating their leadership and commitment to protecting Florida’s natural treasures. Each stop is a chance to connect, recognize student impact, and highlight the meaningful work happening in classrooms and communities. It’s inspiring to see these young change-makers in action, and we’re proud to honor their dedication to the Everglades.

How Investment Becomes Opportunity

Just as importantly, philanthropic investment continued to translate directly into student opportunity. This year, $30,000 in mini-grants were awarded to 32 schools, supporting experiences and projects that impacted more than 2,000 students. The investment represents more than funding; it represents access, creativity, and the ability for schools to bring environmental learning to life in ways that resonate with students. For teachers, it represents a trusted partner who understands what it takes to turn inspiration into action. And for the Everglades, it represents a growing network of educators, families, and students who are learning not only why this ecosystem matters, but also why they are so important to its future. Students visited Everglades to conduct water quality testing, identify native plants and animals, and experience the ecosystem in real life.

"The biggest overall takeaway from this field trip was the value of real-life, hands-on experience. Being immersed in the Everglades allowed students to make meaningful connections and deepen their understanding of the ecosystem beyond the classroom."

Explore Tools to Teach the Everglades

Help connect more students to the Everglades. If you know a teacher or school administrator ready to bring this learning to life, visit EvergladesLiteracy.org for free, multilingual PreK–12 teaching resources, and explore Everglades Champion Schools to discover how schools across Florida are turning Everglades literacy into lasting schoolwide impact.

Want to learn more?

You’re in the right place. For more than 30 years, The Everglades Foundation has been the premier organization fighting to restore and protect the precious Everglades ecosystem through science, advocacy, and education.

Join the movement to restore and protect the global treasure that is America’s Everglades. Sign up to learn more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). Give a gift of any amount you can to support our mission at EvergladesFoundation.org/Donate.