Key West The Newspaper

Reef Relief’s youth education programs grow thanks to Disney Conservation Fund grant!

The Disney Conservation Fund focuses on reversing the decline of wildlife and increasing the time kids spend in nature. Since its inception in 1995, DCF has provided approximately $65 million to support conservation programs in 115 countries. For the 3rd year, The Disney Conservation Fund is supporting Reef Relief’s Coral Reef Youth Education Program including the Discover Coral Reefs School Program and Coral Camp for Kids Program.

Reef Relief has provided the Discover Coral Reefs School Program to the Monroe County School District for over 23 years. This program supplements the Monroe County Curriculum by teaching students core marine science topics so they can better understand their local marine environment. This program primarily teaches students the value and importance of the local coral reef ecosystem, and ways that they can be positive stewards of the marine environment. This year, the Discover Coral Reef School Program has worked with a variety of new schools, now reaching 15 schools within Monroe County. The program is scheduled to teach more 4,700 students by the completion of the 2016-2017 school year.

Coral Camp for Kids provides an opportunity for children to learn more about coral reefs and marine science outside the classroom. Coral Camp is a nature-based education camp that focuses on marine science and offers interactive lessons and daily field trips, including 4 days of snorkeling at the sponge gardens, seagrass beds, and barrier coral reef. This upcoming summer will be the 9th consecutive year that Reef Relief has held Summer Coral Camp for Kids. This year, Reef Relief expanded this educational opportunity by providing a Spring Break Coral Camp.

Reef Relief’s Youth Education Programs have grown and expanded leaps and bounds in the 2016-2017 year thanks to the Disney Conservation Fund Grant. These goals would not have been met without the support of the locals in the Florida Keys community and generous grant donations.

For more information: email: [email protected], call (305) 294-3100 or visit reefrelief.org/

Reef Relief is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to improving and protecting our coral reef ecosystem. Check us out at reefrelief.org