Sarasota County Schools has been named a Guy Harvey Conservation District for the 2025-2026 school year, signifying the school district’s commitment to environmental education through teacher professional development, experiential learning, and environmental leadership.
“We are inspired by the work and commitment of the educators and schools in the Sarasota County public school system that, through the Guy Harvey Conservation Education Program, promote marine science and strengthen conservation education,” said Jessica Harvey, CEO of the Guy Harvey Foundation (GHF), the global non-profit organization that supports scientific research, advances education and drives advocacy that protects marine ecosystems to keep the ocean a place for exploration for generations to come.
Through the Guy Harvey Conservation Education Program, educators – and by extension schools and school districts – can participate in regional professional development opportunities dedicated to environmental STEAM education. Following their training in the program, participants become Guy Harvey Conservation (GHC) Educators who are then empowered with recognition, knowledge, and resources they can share with students to foster environmental awareness and contribute to a sustainable future. The program offers supplies and grants for field trips enabling GHC Educators to enhance their teaching and instill conservation values in students. Open to all elementary, middle, and high school educators, the immersive and experiential education program training includes all the materials, classroom supplies, and educational content they need to inspire and excite the next generation of stewards of ocean conservation.
"We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with the Guy Harvey Foundation,” said Laurie Lundberg, Middle School Science Program Specialist for Sarasota County Schools. “The foundation has supported teachers’ efforts to strengthen science education by providing them and their students with meaningful resources that highlight marine science, conservation, and the importance of protecting our natural world.”
There are 2 schools in Sarasota County Schools that are recognized as Guy Harvey Conservation Schools, and 20 educators in the school district are Guy Harvey Conservation Educators.
“The commitment of school systems across the nation dedicated to environmental STEAM education creates a ripple effect as educators become catalysts for positive environmental change in the minds and actions of their students,” Harvey added. “Our goal is to educate and enlighten more than 50 million students and more than five million teachers globally with our educational initiatives.”
For more information on the Guy Harvey Conservation Education Program, including benefits and upcoming training locations, schedules and more, visit GuyharveyFoundation.org/education/conservationprogram or email cet@guyharveyfoundation.org.