UPDATE: February 9, 2022:
The Scientist in Every Florida School program was not included in the upcoming Florida budget, but we continue to ask you to support this program. Please continue to share your experiences on social media and send us any testimonials via our Google form: https://forms.gle/R9bbzmVFDDepkYcJ8
Are you a Florida teacher who has participated in the Scientist in Every Florida School (SEFS) program? Perhaps you’ve worked with the program to bring a scientist into your classroom. Or maybe you’ve attended one of our professional development workshops. If so, we need your help!
If you’ve worked with us before, you know that SEFS is the first program of its kind to match teachers with scientists who can deliver lessons via classroom visits and serve as role models for the next generation of environmental stewards.
The program is simple: K-12 public school teachers in Florida request a scientist who fits in with an upcoming lesson, and the SEFS team carefully taps into its database of nearly 1,000 scientists to see who would be best suited for the visit. With help from the SEFS team, teachers and scientists work together to co-develop a successful visit that meets established learning goals. During the 2020-2021 school year, the SEFS program coordinated more than 1,700 scientist visits to classrooms in about 500 public schools throughout Florida, reaching 55,000 K-12 students.
SEFS also hosts professional development workshops where teachers can work alongside scientists to develop novel, standards-based lesson plans focused on Florida’s environment.
SEFS was originally started in 2019 as a pilot program in five counties thanks to seed funding from the University of Florida’s Moonshot Initiative. But the program has since grown, reaching students in 40 of Florida’s 67 counties, and counting.
SEFS has the potential to position Florida as a leader in innovative STEM education. Through this free program, our mission is to engage Florida K-12 students and teachers in cutting-edge research by providing science role models and experiences that inspire the future stewards of our planet.
Teachers and students around Florida have come to depend on SEFS, and funding is needed to grow the program and keep it free for schools in the future. Two bills introduced in the 2022 Florida Legislative Session — HB 9157 and LFIR 1983 — would provide the funding needed to do so.
Here’s how you can help voice your support for the future of SEFS:
- Share your SEFS experiences on social media and tag your local representatives. Be sure to tag Scientist in Every Florida School on Facebook & use the #ScientistsinFLSchools and tag @UFEarthSystems on Twitter! Find your local representatives at this link: https://myfloridahouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative
- Call or email your district leaders and local representatives and tell them why you support HB 9157/LFIR 1983.
- Share your SEFS testimonials using this Google Form: https://forms.gle/R9bbzmVFDDepkYcJ8