Polk County Public Schools
Haines City’s Boone Middle is the recipient of a $9,000 grant from the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF). They received the grant as part of the 2008-2009 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program. The school received the grant for a project that studies the environment. The school is basing its study on a phenomena called “nature deficit disorder” by author Richard Louv in the book titled “Last Child In The Woods.”
The school is building a learning center that encourages a hands-on study of nature. The learning center will include monarch watch stations, wetlands, an ozone garden and areas for soil chemistry and water testing. Students are writing journals about their environmental adventures and reading “The Weirdo,” a book about a 17-year-old boy’s fight to save the bear population in a North Carolina swampland. The school will also use the nature learning center for Envirothons and Science Olympiads.
The school produced a video about its science learning project that aired on Bright House Networks this fall. They were one of five Polk schools that produced videos demonstrating learning in a Bright House grants competition.
Lakeland’s R. Bruce Wagner Elementary earned $1,000 as part of “Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!” R. Bruce Wagner Elementary was one of nine Florida schools to win in a contest that had schools create 26-second public service announcements celebrating and promoting the importance of reading. R. Bruce Wagner won first place in the elementary school division statewide and received $1,000.
A contingent of R. Bruce Wagner students and staff traveled to Ruedinger Elementary School in Tallahassee to receive their award from Governor Charlie Crist and Florida Department of Education (FDOE) officials. Students Hilary MacLeod and Nick Diaz were accompanied to Tallahassee by Principal Julie Ward, teacher Gale MacLeod, school psychologist and PSA composer Lois Horn-Diaz and library media specialist Carol Hurst.
In addition to Governor Crist, the R. Bruce Wagner group met FDOE Commissioner Eric Smith, state Board of Education member Peter Boulware and Jackie Pons, superintendent of Leon County Public Schools.
