Thanks to Furyk Foundation: The St. Johns Riverkeeper program accessible to more Title 1 classrooms
The St. Johns Riverkeeper’s RiverX program is expanding opportunities for students to learn about the health of the St. Johns River thanks to a generous grant from the Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation. RiverX is a floating, river taxi classroom for students in fourth through sixth grades at Title 1 schools. The Furyk Foundation grant covers the cost of the river taxi, as well as transportation to and from the river taxi, for any Title I school in Duval County. Because of the grant, St. Johns Riverkeeper, whose mission is to defend the St. Johns River and advocate for its protection, was able to run these trips from Fall 2022 through Fall 2023.
“Many students that attend these trips have never been on a boat before, so being able to share that experience with them is so rewarding,” St. Johns Riverkeeper Education Specialist Jamie De Nisco said. “The kids always have a blast! Teachers and principals have shared with us that RiverX is their favorite field trip.”
The 90-minute long, standards-based field trip allows students to gain firsthand experience with the St. Johns River.
“Keeping our rivers healthy and safe for the community is so important,” Tabitha Furyk said. “Funding the RiverX program, with tremendous support from our title sponsor, Constellation, allows Title 1 students to understand the significance of the St. Johns River, attend field trips and enable teachers to expand their classroom experience.”
During the RiverX educational boat trips, the students rotate through stations tailored to their subject area and grade level. Teachers receive educational curriculum to familiarize the students prior to the trip and to continue the learning opportunity in the classroom.
There are three stations that students rotate through during the program: salinity testing, EcoWeb (an activity related to ecosystem connections) and an observation station. At the salinity testing station, the students use refractometers to test five different samples along the river to see how the salt increases or decreases. The interactive EcoWeb station uses photos and ropes to build a web, which allows students to visualize the connections ecosystems have and how they rely on each other. Students then record their notes and studies at the observation station on the bow of the river taxi.
“This program allows students from Title 1 schools to experience the St. Johns River on the water to see firsthand the wildlife and the river’s conditions and learn how they can help keep the river healthy for generations to come,” Furyk said.
The Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation helps families and children in need through project-specific funding. The foundation collaborates with charities to fund projects that make the community a better place. The sponsors and advisory board members of the Constellation Furyk & Friends tournament help the foundation find new and deserving organizations to support the community.
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