Hundreds of Teachers from Across Florida Gathered at The Everglades Foundation’s 9th Annual Everglades Teacher Symposium

The Everglades Foundation’s Everglades Literacy Program brought together over 200 educators from across Florida for its 9th Annual Teacher Symposium, inspiring the next generation of Everglades stewards.

Themed “Stewardship Starts with Love,” this year’s symposium took place on July 22 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. The free event included sessions of inspiring experts who explored how curiosity, creativity, science, and care for the natural world can connect students to America’s Everglades.

“Everglades education begins with teachers, and their commitment is extraordinary,” said Jennifer Diaz, Vice President of Education at The Everglades Foundation. “Taking time out of their summer break to be here shows just how much they care about giving students a real connection to this ecosystem. From our amazing speakers to the interactive hand-on sessions, it was a day full of inspiration, one that reminds us why this work matters and how far our love and stewardship for the Everglades can go.”

The day opened with keynote remarks from Isaac Nelson, an award-winning young filmmaker, conservationist, and founder of Eco Scouts, a youth-led group protecting Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Inspired by teachers and environmental advocates like Sylvia Earle, Nelson has produced films including Mangroves Matter and the award-winning Shoreline Story to show that leadership can begin at any age.

Throughout the symposium, educators participated in interactive sessions translating Everglades science and conservation into classroom learning, including “Everglades Engineers: Wildlife Bridge STEM Challenge,” a hands-on lesson in which students design and build safe passages for species affected by habitat fragmentation.

Educators also explored “Everglades Wildlife Watch,” a Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission citizen-science program that uses trail-camera images and the online platform “Zooniverse” to help scientists study species diversity, wildlife behavior, and habitat use across the Greater Everglades, improving our understanding of the region’s rich biodiversity and interconnected ecosystems.

Additional sessions highlighted the interdisciplinary power of Everglades education, with Susan Levine’s illustrated Jenny’s First Catch connecting science, literacy, art, and personal growth, followed by opportunities from Dream in Green to apply student learning to campus sustainability through the “Green Schools Challenge.”

The symposium concluded with “The Everglades in Every One of Us,” an immersive reflection activity that invited educators to create self-portraits using natural materials. Through this experience, participants explored how they are connected to the Everglades ecosystem and recognized the important role they play in shaping its future through education and stewardship. The symposium program also included a day of field trips for teachers to experience learning out in the Everglades ecosystem. Dozens of educators hiked a wet and rugged swamp trail at Grassy Waters Preserve to learn about this vital wetland system, went seining in the northern Lake Worth Lagoon, and explored Florida’s varied habitats with animal ambassadors along the nature trail at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. These hands-on experiences helped deepen their own connection to the Everglades and bring it back to the classroom.

Launched in 2014, The Everglades Foundation’s Everglades Literacy Program shows what is possible when teachers are equipped, students are inspired, and schools are empowered to make environmental learning part of everyday life. The program has impacted more than 312,000 students in 32 counties statewide, helping students see that the Everglades are not only part of Florida’s natural heritage, but also part of their future.