Project WET makes a splash with teachers at Brevard Zoo

Teachers play a key role in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. They do more than just instruct—they help mold young minds, nurturing curiosity, responsibility and critical thinking skills that will shape the future of our communities and beyond. Recognizing this important role, the St. Johns River Water Management District is now a proud host organization for Project WET (Water Education Today), a globally recognized program that gives educators the tools they need to bring hands-on water education to life in the classroom and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.

Educators from Brevard Public Schools participate in a Project WET, a workshop at Brevard Zoo hosted by the St. Johns River Water Management District.

In collaboration with Brevard Zoo, the District recently hosted its first Project WET workshop, a full day event focused on raising awareness about the importance of water—a resource that touches every part of our lives. During the workshop, educators from Brevard Public Schools were introduced to a variety of interactive activities designed to make water-related topics not only accessible but exciting for students. From investigating the properties of water through the H2Olympics to exploring watersheds with wax paper and pipettes, teachers walked away with fresh, new ways to bring the wonders of water science into their classrooms.

Stephany Benken, a retired teacher with 31 years of experience teaching second grade, was excited about the practical applications of the workshop’s lessons as she plans to return to education. “If you’re just reading the states of water off a piece of paper to your class, it goes in one ear and out the other,” Benken explains. “But by tying in the hands-on activities we learned today, students will think they are playing. And they are, but they are also learning, and that’s the key to retention and connecting what they’ve learned to the resource.”

The impact of the workshop extends beyond Brevard County. Ali Pressel, the District’s education and outreach coordinator, emphasized the broader significance of the initiative. “We’re excited to partner with zoos across Florida to bring Project WET to educators throughout the state,” she says. “By providing teachers with interactive, science-based resources, we are helping students gain a deeper appreciation for Florida’s water systems and the importance of conservation.”

As these teachers return to their classrooms, they don’t just have lesson plans—they have the tools to instill a sense of responsibility and care for the environment in their students. “These hands-on activities will really show my students how they can apply what they learn in the classroom to the real-world experiences,” says Dori Grace, a marine science teacher at Viera High School. “Living in Brevard County with access to the Indian River Lagoon, these learning strategies will help strengthen our students’ love for and perspective on their communities.”

The workshop serves as an essential piece of the District’s broader strategy to engage the community in the protection and preservation of Florida’s water resources. In addition to initiatives like Project WET, the District supports educators through the Blue School Grant Program, which provides funding to teachers within the District to help students learn about and appreciate Florida’s freshwater and estuarine systems. “Our goal is to equip educators with the tools they need to foster lasting awareness and inspire future generations to become stewards of the state’s natural resources,” explains Pressel.

To learn more about the District’s educational resources, please visit www.sjrwmd.com/education.