Friends Of Sandoway House Nature Center Inc

RECOGNIZING THAT SCHOOLS WERE UNABLE TO TRAVEL TO SANDOWAY FOR FIELD TRIPS DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS, WE CONTINUED OUR POPULAR 8-WEEK NATURE SERIES OUTREACH PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDED UNDERPRIVILEGED STUDENTS EXPOSURE TO SCIENCE THROUGH EDUCATIONAL OUTREACHES. BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTERS, SANDOWAY INSPIRED ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND PROVIDED SCIENCE EXPOSURE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

SANDOWAY PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF FLORIDA'S ENVIRONMENTAL AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES DEALING WITH NATIVE COASTAL AND MARINE ENVIRONMENTS, AS WELL AS PROMOTES CONSERVATION OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, BEACHES, AND PLANT LIFE. IN 2021, SANDOWAY WAS OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK AND HAD OVER 14,436 VISITORS LEARN ABOUT CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION, AND HABITAT DESTRUCTION. OVER HALF OF THOSE VISITORS ATTENDED OUR DAILY EDUCATIONAL SHARK FEEDINGS WHICH TEACH THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING OUR OCEANS' TOP PREDATOR. SANDOWAY HAS EDUCATIONAL DISPLAYS, ANIMAL EXHIBITS AND AQUARIUMS INTENDED FOR GUESTS OF ALL AGES TO LEARN ABOUT THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT. ALL SANDOWAY'S ANIMALS HAVE BEEN DONATED AS UNWANTED PETS, WERE INJURED, OR REHABILITATED BUT UNABLE TO BE RELEASED TO THE WILD. THEY ARE USED DAILY FOR EDUCATIONAL CLASSES THAT GIVE VISITORS AND STUDENTS A CHANCE FOR AN INTERACTIVE AND INFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE MANY CHALLENGES IN 2021 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WE MADE SURE TO CONTINUE TEACHING OUR MISSION THROUGH BROADENED, SOCIALLY DISTANCED PUBLIC PROGRAMMING WHICH REQUIRED STAFF TO INTERACT WITH VISITORS THROUGH SMALLER, MORE FREQUENT CLASSES.

SANDOWAY OFFERS A VIBRANT GATEWAY TO SOUTH FLORIDA'S FRAGILE MARINE LIFE AND FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, REGIONAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL VISITORS. RECOGNIZING THE LIMITED ACCESS TO AND DEEP NEED FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY'S CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND CRUCIAL S.T.E.M (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH) CONCEPTS, AND BE ABLE TO RELATE THEM IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TO THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND THEM, WE DEVELOPED OUR JUNIOR NATURALIST PROGRAM WHICH OFFERS HANDS-ON, ACTIVITY-BASED PROGRAMS IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR GRADES K-12. THIS PROGRAM IS COMPATIBLE WITH NEXT GENERATION SUNSHINE STATE SCIENCE STANDARDS, AND PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOLS HAVE APPROVED OUR JUNIOR NATURALIST PROGRAM CURRICULUM. WE ARE FOCUSING WHERE OUR HANDS-ON EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT IS NEEDED MOST, ON PALM BEACH COUNTY'S TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, PROGRAMS THAT SERVE CHILDREN WHO ARE AT RISK OF ACADEMIC FAILURE, AND THOSE FROM LOW SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND MINORITY POPULATIONS. IN 2021, OVER 3,500 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM FROM LOCAL SCHOOLS AND CAMPS LOOKING TO EXPLORE SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA'S NATIVE NATURAL HABITAT. THE JUNIOR NATURALIST PROGRAM WAS ADJUSTED TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH INCREASED SAFETY STANDARDS AS WELL AS NEW METHODOLOGIES TO FULFILL OUR MISSION. STAFF TAUGHT INTERACTIVE, LIVE-ANIMAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WITHIN SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES. WE ALSO ADJUSTED OUR PROGRAM TO INCLUDE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS, OUTREACH PROGRAMS (LOCAL CAMPS AND FAMILIES TO OFFER PROGRAMING AT THEIR FACILITY OR HOME, ALLEVIATING THE NEED FOR TRAVEL AND SOCIAL DISTANCING ISSUES) AND EXPANDED CURRICULUM THAT TEACHERS CAN USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP.