Young Friends of the Everglades Archives - Friends of the Everglades

Introducing the $10,000 Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Program

Third and fourth grade students from Royal Palm Elementary School stay engaged in a presentation about Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Young Friends of the Everglades on June 1, 2023, in Miami. Friends of the Everglades is pleased to announce the Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Program scholarship and internship. One undergraduate or graduate recipient will be awarded $10,000 and participate in a 12-week Fall 2023 internship at Friends of the Everglades in Stuart, Florida, for approximately 15 hours per week. As the intern helps to support the Young Friends of the Everglades program and engage in community outreach, they will develop a wide range of skills including communications and instructional skills and gain an understanding of governance and guidelines in [...]

Allie Preston2023-06-01T13:10:53-04:00June 1st, 2023|Young Friends of the Everglades|

Friends of the Everglades end-of-year highlights

Our lives are multifaceted and we know it's tough keeping up with all the news. Here are a few recent Friends of the Everglades headlines. Stop the Burn in Glades communities. The Story. Six to eight months of the year, residents living south of Lake Okeechobee are subjected to smoke and ash as surrounding farms burn sugarcane for harvest. The harmful impacts of the “black snow,” as residents call it, create a myriad of human health threats and harm property values. That sounds bad. It is. And it gets worse. Legislation known as the Right to Farm bill passed in 2021 ultimately insulates the sugar industry from the harm it causes by shielding growers from “nuisance lawsuits.” As it stands, [...]

Allie Preston2021-12-28T11:46:08-05:00December 28th, 2021|Action Alerts, All Posts, Friends of the Everglades Statements, Young Friends of the Everglades|

Friends of the Everglades introduces a new Everglades education tool

During these final two weeks of the year, we are reflecting on the work our supporters have made possible at Friends of the Everglades. In that vein, we're proud to share some news. For more than six months, we've been working behind the scenes on a special project: The Everglades Learning Exploration Kit, designed to inspire and educate students about the Everglades ecosystem and the advocacy of our founder, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. We're thrilled to announce the first kit was delivered last week to our pilot school, Royal Palm Elementary in Miami-Dade County. The kit includes four lesson plans developed to meet Florida education standards, classroom sets of several books and hands-on activities. Marjory recognized the Everglades could not be [...]

Allie Preston2021-12-22T14:50:16-05:00December 22nd, 2021|Young Friends of the Everglades|

For the next generation of Everglades advocates…

This Giving Tuesday, we are giving you a sneak peek at our brand new youth education program! Friends of the Everglades will deliver the first “Everglades Learning Exploration Kit” to our pilot school, Royal Palm Elementary, later this month. The kit draws on the legacy of our founder, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, to teach students about Everglades ecosystems, water quality, native species and more. Marjory knew reaching young people was critical to the future of the Everglades. Our newly revived Young Friends of the Everglades program is one of the many efforts you support when you make a donation to Friends of the Everglades this Giving Tuesday — TODAY! Our Young Friends of the Everglades youth outreach program helps kids tackle [...]

Allie Preston2021-11-30T10:33:50-05:00November 30th, 2021|Young Friends of the Everglades|

Support the next generation of Everglades advocates this #GivingTuesday

Giving Tuesday is only one week away! This year, we invite you to join Friends of the Everglades in celebration of our newly revived youth education program, Young Friends of the Everglades. Here’s a sneak peek of the Everglades Exploration Kit we will be delivering to our pilot elementary school in December: Help support the next generation in learning how to preserve, protect and restore the only Everglades in the world by making a contribution on November 30 at everglades.org/donate. Raise awareness about our work by sharing your support on social media and using the hashtag #GivingTuesday to get your friends and family involved! Stay tuned and look out for emails from us with Giving Tuesday in the subject line. [...]

Allie Preston2021-11-24T11:57:21-05:00November 24th, 2021|Young Friends of the Everglades|

Honoring Connie Washburn: 2021 recipient of the “Defender of the Everglades” Award

Each year, Friends of the Everglades recognizes a person whose commitment to our mission to preserve, protect and restore the only Everglades in the world stands out among the rest. Not only is this award meant to acknowledge their significant contribution to the world of Everglades restoration, but it also highlights someone who embodies the spirit of our founder, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. This year’s choice is no exception. Connie Washburn has served as a member of the Board of Directors and a tireless advocate for Friends of the Everglades since 1994. Since then, she has fulfilled every supporting role possible within our organization and is always the first to volunteer for any committee or project. We have Connie to thank [...]

Allie Preston2021-11-08T14:43:56-05:00November 8th, 2021|Defender of the Everglades Award, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Young Friends of the Everglades|

‘Marjory Saves the Everglades’ Author Chat

When we get depressed about bad politics and the degradation of our environment, we turn our thoughts to the next generation of Everglades advocates. Young Friends of the Everglades inspire us — and today’s chat with children’s book author Sandra Neil Wallace was no exception. Sandra’s newly published book, “Marjory Saves the Everglades,” tells the story of our tireless founder, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Watch Sandra’s chat with Young Friends of the Everglades: Signed copies of the book are available! Click here to give one to a young environmentalist in your life. And don’t forget to check out the activity kit and curriculum guide that accompany Sandra’s book! Your donations make Young Friends of the Everglades possible. Less than 24 hours remain for [...]

Allie Preston2020-10-15T16:36:40-04:00October 15th, 2020|All Posts, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Young Friends of the Everglades|

ACTION ALERT: Send a letter to Gov. DeSantis and lawmakers urging them to protect the endangered Florida panther by stopping new toll roads.

Did you hear? Young friends of the Everglades are leading the fight to protect Florida's state animal, the Florida panther. This endangered species faces a significant threat from a set of new toll roads, known as M-CORES, proposed to cut through territory that is vital to the panther's survival and recovery efforts. In a new initiative launched last week, kids across the state sent letters to Gov. DeSantis and members of the Florida legislature urging them to protect the endangered Florida panther by stopping construction of the new toll roads. Their commitment set a worthy example for Floridians of all ages that care about the preservation of state wildlife. To make a real difference, we need all of you to weigh in. Without your voices, we [...]

Allie Preston2020-09-03T14:57:37-04:00September 1st, 2020|Action Alerts, All Posts, Young Friends of the Everglades|

Florida panther virtual-learning activities now available for Young Friends of the Everglades

A rare and endangered species, the Florida Panther evokes a sense of mystery and beauty that is not unlike its natural Everglades environment. Widely recognized as the iconic state animal of Florida, the number of panthers left in the wild are thought to have dwindled to only a couple hundred thanks to increasing environmental threats. Young Friends of the Everglades virtual learning components are aimed at nurturing the youngest environmentalists among us by linking education to advocacy. The latest addition of the the Florida panther to our online learning space aims to familiarize users with information about this truly extraordinary species and inspire each and every Young Friend to be an active part of the panther recovery efforts. Young Friends [...]

Allie Preston2020-09-01T15:51:45-04:00August 31st, 2020|All Posts, Young Friends of the Everglades|

The Story of a River Kid

Evie Flaugh is no stranger to the wonders of Florida's waterways, or to the environmental crises that plague them. As a co-founder of the River Kidz, she's spent nearly half her life speaking up to protect and preserve them. Now a college student, Evie shares her journey as a river kid, and talks about the full circle moment when her summer internship at Friends of the Everglades offered her the chance to continue advocating in new ways for the waterways she loves as an adult. The Story of a River Kid By Evie Flaugh Growing up on one the most biologically diverse estuaries in North America, I have always had a fascination with the environment around me. My friend Naia [...]

Allie Preston2021-06-10T16:21:40-04:00June 9th, 2020|All Posts, Young Friends of the Everglades|