Youth Environmental Alliance Inc

DESCRIPTION:THIS ACTION APPROVES AN AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $400,000 TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE'S PROJECT TO IMPLEMENT EASY K-12 EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT TOWARDS ACTIVE STEWARDSHIP (EEASY). THIS PROJECT IS BASED IN SE FLORIDA (SEFL)-SPECIFICALLY BROWARD AND DADE COUNTIES AND RESTORES COASTAL PORTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTY WATERSHEDS: BROWARD AND DADE; EVERGLADES, BIG CYPRESS SWAMP AND DADE: FLORIDA BAY-FLORIDA KEYS. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF A K-12 PROGRAM WHICH WILL PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIPS THAT WILL TEACH AND ENGAGE UP TO 3,400 K-12 UNDERSERVED AND DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD DURING 68 NATURE-BASED SOLUTION INSTALLATION EVENTS. DURING THESE FIELD TRIPS, MEASUREMENTS WILL BE TAKEN REGARDING THE AMOUNT OF VEGETATION INCLUDING MANGROVES PLANTED PER FIELD TRIP; THE SIZE OF THE AREA RESTORED; AND THE NUMBERS OF K-12 AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS EDUCATED AND EMPOWERED TO MAKE CHANGES.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE AN EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS TO OVERCOME ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE AS EVIDENCED BY INTERVIEWS AND REACTIONS TO EXPERIENCES PROVIDED THROUGH PROJECT EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT TO ACTIVE STEWARDSHIP WITH YEA (EEASY). EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EFFORTS TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE SOURCES OF POLLUTION AND TO EVALUATE PROGRESS TOWARD ACHIEVING AND MAINTAINING WATER QUALITY AND PROTECTING CORAL REEF HABITAT AND RESTORING OTHER LIVING RESOURCES. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES ARE THE UNDERSERVED AND DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS RESIDING IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

DESCRIPTION:THIS ACTION APPROVES FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 TO YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT IN FLORIDA SPECIFICALLY BROWARD COUNTY AND PALM BEACH COUNTY COMMUNITIES. THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS BY FOLLOWING AN AWARENESS TO ACTION MODEL WHICH EDUCATES PARTICIPANTS IN FORMAL AND NON-FORMAL SETTINGS. EEASY PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED AND PROVEN TO INCREASE STUDENT AND PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS THROUGH EXPERIMENTS AND SIMULATIONS DESIGNED TO UTILIZE CRITICAL THINKING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE TO MAKE DECISIONS. THE APPLICANT WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS BY IMPLEMENTATION OF ENERGIZING ECOLOGY SERIES, COMPLETING COMMUNITY OUTREACH/ECO ACTIONS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, INSTALLING FOOD FORESTS/NATIVE GARDENS AT UNDERSERVED SCHOOLS WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, AND CREATE ACCESS FOR EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS VIA THE INTERNET.ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN FLORIDA SPECIFICALLY BROWARD COUNTY AND PALM BEACH COUNTY COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDE TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE CREATING WEBPAGE FOR TEACHERS TO SIGN UP FOR PROGRAM AND FILL OUT GRANT APPLICATION AND CREATE PRE AND POSTTESTS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHER SURVEYS. MARKETING WILL CREATE LANDING PAGES FOR TEACHERS TO ACCESS EXTENSION ACTIVITIES. REACHING OUT TO SCHOOLS AND PARTNERS TO SCHEDULE IN-SCHOOL CLASSES/INSTALLATIONS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS. MEETING WITH PARTNERING SCHOOLS TO DISSEMINATE SUBAWARDS AND HELP WITH THE ORDERING OF SUPPLIES FOR THE GARDENS. DURING MEETINGS THE APPLICANT WILL LAY OUT SCHEDULES AND PLANS TO HELP THEM MAINTAIN THE PROJECT AND STAY ON TRACK. WILL CONDUCT PROJECT EEASY PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH EVENTS.SUBRECIPIENT:SUBAWARDS WILL BE AWARDED TO 10 ORGANIZATIONS AT $2,500 FOR EACH RECIPIENT WHICH INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: GALAXY ELEMENTARY, HAGEN ROAD ELEMENTARY, ST. JEROME, PIONEER PARK ELEMENTARY, SAWGRASS SPRINGS AND RAMBLEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOLS, SOUTH PLANTATION HIGH SCHOOL, HENRY D PERRY EDUCATION CENTER, UB KINSEY/PALMVIEW ELEMENTARY. EACH SUBRECIPIENT MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA IN SECTION III, BEING EITHER A TITLE 1 SCHOOL OR CATERING TO STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. TO ENSURE THAT ELIGIBLE SUBRECIPIENTS IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT: SUB-AWARDEES WILL COMPLETE A GRANT APPLICATION INCLUDING A BUDGET AND SIGN A GRANT AGREEMENT PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE SUB AWARD AND PROJECT EEASY PROGRAMMING. EEASY IS A MULTI-DAY SCHEDULE THAT INCLUDES 6 VISITS TO EACH LOCATION IN ORDER TO FACILITATE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AND ADHERENCE TO SUB-AWARDEE GUIDELINES. OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: 600 STUDENTS AND 10 TEACHERS ATTEND ENERGIZING ECOLOGY SERIES, 10 TEACHERS RECEIVE EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR FUTURE USE, A MINIMUM OF 300 UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENGAGED AND EDUCATED DURING OUTREACH EVENTS, 10 FOOD/NATIVE GARDENS IN UNDERSERVED SCHOOLS. GARDENS WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE ENERGIZING ECOLOGY SERIES AND LANDING PAGES AND WEBSITE PLACEMENT FOR TEACHERS TO ACCESS EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN CLASSROOM. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE: PERCENTAGE OF STUDENT PARTICIPANTS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES REPORTING GREATER FEELING OF CONNECTION TO NATURE, INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTION HOURS AT PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS AND CLUB PROGRAMS AND INCREASED FILTRATION OF AIR AND WATER AS DETERMINED BY ONLINE CALCULATORS AND EQUATIONS THAT FACILITATE DETERMINING EFFICACY OF PLANTINGS IN THAT REGARD.