The Academy of Coastal & Water Resources at St. Johns Technical High School received a Blue School grant from St. Johns River Water Management District last fall to fund an education project that would enrich student knowledge of Florida’s water resources through hands-on learning. Due to the school year ending in an unexpected way, our Blue School project goals were not met. However, it didn’t take the Academy students long to pick up where they left off when classes resumed in August. Since then, the students branded the garden name (the W.O.W. Garden or Water Our World Garden), cleared the 3 foot weeds that had taken over since March, and started on the first phase of building 4’x8′ frames for raised beds. By the end of November, students will lay a compost soil blend, plant their first crop, and install a new micro-irrigation system as the best water conservation solution. Prior to winter break, the final goal will be to create an informational video where Academy students will debrief on the project, educate about micro-irrigation for water conservation, and share video and photos from their accomplishment.
