From the St. Johns River Water Management District
Teachers across the district can once again bring hands‑on water education into their classrooms through the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Blue School Grant Program. Applications for the 2025–26 school year are open from Aug. 1 through Sept. 21, offering individual grants of up to $3,000 and $60,000 in total funding for projects that immerse students in Florida’s water resources.
Related: Orange County Public Schools receives a $3,500 grant from the beverage industry to improve high school recycling.
The program, launched in 2016, has already funded 115 projects at 85 schools, reaching more than 15,000 students with lessons that blend science, technology, engineering, and math with real‑world water issues. Projects can include equipment, field trips, and innovative curriculum that build a deeper understanding of how water shapes the state’s environment and economy.
One shining example is Wekiva High, where math teacher Hai‑Anh Nguyen expanded an aquaponics garden into a saltwater cultivation system. With help from the University of Central Florida’s Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab, her students grew red mangroves and conducted weekly water quality testing — not just learning equations, but applying them to sustainable ecosystems right in their classroom. Nguyen said the effort sparked stronger STEM comprehension and heightened engagement, proving that hands‑on water education resonates with students.
Other Blue School Grant success stories include Duval County students studying the St. Johns River and Seminole County fourth‑graders designing homemade water filters after observing manatees at Blue Spring State Park. Each project highlights the program’s goal: turning curiosity into stewardship by connecting kids directly with Florida’s water.
Teachers in eligible public and charter schools — including those in Lake, Orange, Seminole, and 12 other counties — can confirm eligibility and apply at sjrwmd.com/education/blue-school. With applications open now, the next wave of innovative water projects is ready to begin.
About the grant
- The Blue School Grant Program funds hands-on, water-focused STEM curriculum that connects K-12 students with Florida’s water resources.
- Teachers and schools may apply individually or as part of a teaching team/grade level cohort between Aug. 1 and Sept. 21 at 11:59 p.m. at sjrwmd.com/education/blue-school.
- Individual grants of up to $3,000 per teacher or school are available.
- Up to $60,000 in total funding can be distributed in the 2025–26 grant period.
- Grant funding may support projects, equipment, supplies, field trips, and related expenses.
Eligibility requirements
Teachers/schools must:
- Work for a public or public charter school within the District’s boundaries, including school locations within: Alachua, Brevard, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, St. Johns, Seminole, Volusia, and parts of Baker, Bradford, Okeechobee, and Osceola counties.
- Applicants can confirm their school falls within the District's boundaries on the Blue School Grant website at sjrwmd.com/education/blue-school.
- Submit a project proposal that outlines educational goals and STEM connections focused on water education and the district's goals. The proposal needs to demonstrate how students will explore Florida’s water resources.
- Examples of previous projects can be found on the Blue School Grant webpage.
Impact
- Since launching in 2016, the Blue School Grant program has:
- Funded 115 projects
- Supported 85 schools
- Reached an estimated 15,550 students
Why water education matters
- Water shapes Florida’s landscapes, economy, and daily life. Blue School Grant projects help students solve local water challenges, sparking curiosity and lifelong stewardship.
Blue School Grant success stories
- At Wekiva High School in Orange County, math teacher Hai-Anh Nguyen expanded her classroom’s aquaponics garden into a saltwater cultivation system. With support from the University of Central Florida’s Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab, students grew red mangroves and conducted weekly water quality tests to explore sustainable ecosystems. Nguyen reported stronger STEM comprehension and deeper student engagement as a result.
- Students at Alfred I. duPont Middle School in Duval County investigated water quality in the St. Johns River through hands-on fieldwork and classroom modeling. Their findings became the centerpiece of a schoolwide STEAM Night, where they presented research and interactive displays to families and peers. Students transformed their learning into real-world environmental education by integrating water topics across science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
- Meanwhile, at Galileo School for Gifted Learning in Seminole County, fourth-grade student Lucas Rivera and his classmates visited Blue Spring State Park to observe manatees and collect water samples. Back in the classroom, they built and tested homemade water filters, using science to understand human impacts on water quality better. Inspired by the experience, Lucas later addressed the District’s Governing Board, sharing his enthusiasm for water conservation.
St. Johns River Water Management District staff are committed to ensuring the sustainable use and protection of water resources for the benefit of the people of the District and the state of Florida. The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five districts in Florida managing groundwater and surface water supplies in the state. The District encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties. District headquarters are in Palatka, and staff are also available to serve the public at service centers in Apopka, Jacksonville, and Palm Bay.
For more information about the District, please visit sjrwmd.com.
