Meet Our Members: Garrison-Jones Elementary
Students Show They CAN Make a Difference for Manatees

Students at Garrison-Jones Elementary in Dunedin, Florida, recently took action to educate their community about manatee safety. "Our students have learned that they can make a difference,” said teacher Jill Egan. (Photo courtesy Jill Egan)

What can 43 students, creative teachers, and an enthusiastic community do to help endangered manatees? A lot, as it turns out! Teachers and students from Garrison-Jones Elementary recently completed a project that resulted in a public service announcement, a letter from Florida Governor Charlie Crist, and a “Save the Manatee Night” fair for local residents.

The project began when teachers Jill Egan and Patricia Hash decided to get their fourth-grade students involved in an endeavor that would include local residents. Because the school is located in Dunedin, a waterfront community on Florida’s west coast, they decided the students could help educate the adults about manatee safety. “Because manatees are native to Florida, most of the kids know a lot about them and care about their protection, and it was easy to get them excited about the project,” says Egan. The two teachers submitted a grant to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and received funding that launched their “Children Save the Manatee” venture.

Armed with digital cameras, students documented their manatee field trips and later used the images to create a public service announcement on manatees. (Photo courtesy Jill Egan) View the PSA produced by the Garrison-Jones students. Go >> (please use Windows Media Player)

We began by researching about manatees and creating manatee PowerPoint presentations,” says Egan. “After that, we used the grant money to purchase digital cameras for the students as well as two video cameras.” The teachers and students made four field trips to learn more about manatees. They visited the Southwest Florida Museum of History in Bradenton, Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach, Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Then it was time to take action. Using what they had learned about manatees, the students wrote to Governor Charlie Crist and asked him to support better protection for manatees in Florida. Much to their delight, the governor wrote them back. “The kids were so excited!” said Egan. The students were motivated to write letters encouraging residents to protect manatees and were pleased when they were published in the St. Petersburg Times. They also created manatee safety posters and distributed them to local marinas.

Using the photos and video from their field trips, the students then created a public service announcement (PSA) about manatees, and it was played on "YOU on Demand," a program produced by Bay News 9, a television station in the Tampa Bay area.

The Garrison-Jones students made cookies and signs to advertise their Save the Manatee Night fair at the school, which was attended by over 300 people in the community. (Photo courtesy Jill Egan)

The project concluded on “Save the Manatee Night” at Garrison-Jones Elementary, which was completely run by the students. They created and sold bookmarks, magnets, and cookies at the event as well as DVD copies of their PSA. Over 300 people attended the fair, and the students were able to make their goal of encouraging 50 people to adopt a manatee from Save the Manatee Club. They raised an extra $218 to send to the Club for manatee protection efforts.

In addition to everything the Garrison-Jones students accomplished for manatees, they also achieved something for themselves: “Our students have learned that they can make a difference,” said Egan. “We took an idea – saving the manatees – and made it real. Our students believe in a cause and in themselves because of this opportunity.”

“When children become passionate about something – anything – it becomes infectious,” Egan continued. “This adventure has not only inspired 43 students, but also their families, other students and staff at Garrison-Jones, neighbors, friends, Bay News 9 viewers – so many people. Their love for manatees will not end on June 2nd. It will stay with them forever.”

The Garrison-Jones students with their manatee safety posters, which they created and distributed to local marinas. (Photo courtesy Jill Egan)

Whiskers is the manatee adopted by the Garrison-Jones students. Whiskers is the youngest manatee in SMC's adoption program. He is a male manatee who frequents Blue Spring in the winter. He is the son of Dana, another Blue Spring adoptee. She introduced him to Blue Spring in 1996, and he has been visiting the park ever since.

• Visit Jill Egan's class web site documenting their class project
  
  
• Learn more about the manatees available for adoption
  
  
• Adopt-A-Manatee® Online
  
  
• Print an Order Form
  
  
• Donate to Save the Manatee Club
  
  
• Check out our Manatee Gift Items!