03/21/2025
Event update: Thanks again to Mark Music and Guy's Quality Meats, we have a 52 lb. pig on ice and ready for Chef Brian to begin working his mad BBQ skills tomorrow. Speaking of our Champion Teacher, we have confirmation that Thom Jones and other members from his staff of the St. Lucie County Education Foundation (https://www.educationfoundationstlucie.org/) (SLCEF) will be on-hand to take part in the day and speak to parents whose children take part in Forest Grove Middle School's Marine Oceanographic Academy (MOA) prep program as well as our own pilot after-school program that Brian teaches and champion's both of for those who don't know.
Mr. Jones will be answering questions and giving updates on the massive $474,000 grant that Brian drafted and secured with the help and partnership of Mr. Jones and SLCEF staff members. The majority of funds dispersed from the EPA will be used to build a state-of-the-art organic oyster farm and aquaculture program on Forest Grove Middle School's own campus as well as a number of scientific projects to be held on SLCEF's adopted Spoil Island 8. And because the grant is so large, funds will also cover the custom build-out of a floating marine science lab that Brian will be helping to design from the ground/water up, using his expertise as a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard and brilliant Science Teacher! Needless to say, we are extremely proud to have watched this collaborative project come together from the very beginning and cannot wait to see ALL of the amazing activities that these gifted MOA prep students will be taking part in for the sake of their own continuing education as well as the health and wellness of our Indian River Lagoon.
While we're on the topic of collaboration and MOA prep, we just might be making special announcements from the principal of another amazing Magnet school on the Treasure Coast that Brian will soon be expanding the MOA prep program within! And because Mr. Tygesson continues to promote and champion the growth of our pilot program, this same Magnet school will soon be hosting the second location of our growing after-school program for Young Inventors and Entrepreneurs!!! Details of the "Mini MOA" program and even Younger Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club will be coming soon.
And while we're still talking about collaboration and possibilities for even more growth, we had a fantastic conversation with the newest elected St. Lucie County Commissioner, Jamie Fowler, who also happens to sit on the Board of the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Police Athletic League. Fortunately for us, Mrs. Fowler will be stopping by to say hello and talk further about the presentation that she would like us to make at an upcoming PAL Board meeting to outline the types of positive STEM/STEAM-based activities we offer that could be a perfect fit for any number of at-risk teens that our local PAL Chapter provides after-school care for!
But wait there's more:) As previously mentioned, we have reconnected with local Bank Managers and staff from iTHINK Financial (https://www.ithinkfi.org/) who might also be stopping by to take part in our cleanup and say hello. Once the dust settles from the day and we finish with proper paperwork we are filing with the State of Florida, we will soon be making our first deposit with iTHINK Financial as an official Non-Profit organization! And if you've been following us long enough, this sets us up for a number of fantastic opportunities to restart financial literacy programs for our students on a quarterly basis as well as setting the stage for a number of collaborative events that iTHINK Financial is well suited for as title sponsors of iTHINK Financial Amphitheater which is South Florida's largest outdoor music and live event venue.
Did I mention that iTHINK Financial is an IBM Employee-owned Credit Union and that their President and CEO, Michael Miller, holds a bachelor's degree in both Science and Finances AND sits on the Board of The Florida Atlantic University Foundation Inc.? While that might not sound like much to some, I see the potential for someone like Mr. Miller and fellow IBM employees to appreciate the science, technology, and future finances that are inherent in our STEM program and future product sales. Not to mention the fact that the vast majority of MOA prep students we work with will be graduating to Westwood High School's Upper MOA program which just happens to be facilitated and operated by none other than Florida Atlantic University and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (https://www.fau.edu/hboi/) that coincidentally, or not, happens to sit directly across from the same Spoil Island #8 that MOA prep students will be working on environmental projects for years to come...
Lastly, we have had great conversations with leadership from Coastal Conservation Association Florida (https://ccaflorida.org/) who are also trying to have a few volunteers make it for the cleanup and to display some of the incredible water quality, marine habitat, and oyster restoration projects that they offer across the great State of Florida and beyond.
One such program called Veterans Unite for Conservation, holds workshops for veterans and those who support them to make water filtrating oyster rings which is a perfect fit with Brian's background in marine science and as someone who has served honorably in both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard. Who knows but maybe such oyster rings, oyster volcanoes, and/or vertical oyster gardening projects that CCA offers through collaborative partnerships could be used as part of our very own Safe and Green Marina Initiative???
With all that said, I think it's fair to say that we are in a great position for this particular event to lead to something much bigger as we are already planning for an end of summer event that our students will be establishing with our current and newest strategic partners as soon as we get back in class. And while we were decimated over the last couple of weeks by a flu bug that prolonged everything from getting out proper notification and flyers for this weekend's event to being able to showcase all of the special projects that our kids have been working on, we will make the best of what we will have to show this weekend and work even harder to showcase all that we have to offer for our end of summer Red, White, and KEEP IT BLUE event! Until then, we hope to see you this Saturday for some sun, fun, and free food to replenish everyone once the cleanup of Causeway Cove and Wesley's Island is done:) J =ECO
