FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 18, 2017
Summer Environmental Program Helps to Bridge Students' Learning Gaps
~DEP's Northeast District staff conduct environmental education activities at Jacksonville Police Athletic League's STEAM summer camp~
 The Jacksonville Police Athletic League's annual STEAM summer camp reached more than 50 students at the Northside location.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The
Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Northeast District partnered
for a fourth consecutive year with Jacksonville’s Police Athletic
League to help ensure students were better prepared to start this new school
year. As part of the league’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and
math) summer camp program, district staff taught hundreds of students ways to
protect Florida’s water, land and air.
“It is important for us to show our students and future leaders
the value of protecting Florida’s natural resources,” said DEP Northeast District
Director Greg Strong. “DEP’s Northeast District is proud to promote
conservation and responsible practices by providing environmental education to
students in our community throughout the year.”
Staff educated hundreds of summer camp participants on the value
of protecting the environment, utilizing fun, educational and interactive
activities on topics such as recycling and water conservation. DEP’s
Northeast District has an energetic passion for providing educational outreach
to the communities it serves, and efforts such as supporting the STEAM program create strong community
partnerships that safeguard Florida’s natural resources.
The Police Athletic League’s STEAM summer camp is a fun, hands-on
activity program centered on an innovative curriculum that helps curb students’ learning loss during the summer. The league’s program can help
with student learning and retention, as each week students engage in an array
of academic skill-building activities that spark their imagination, such as
building robots out of recyclable materials or crafting edible treats.
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