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Swiftmud Honors Teachers

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 3, 2008

VALRICO - Valrico Elementary School teachers Diane King and Brad Jackson were honored by the Southwest Florida Water Management District recently for their Cycles of Life water resource project, designed to help students learn about the resource and the need to conserve.

Using a mini-grant from the water district, known as Swiftmud, the teachers taught 30 children about hydroponics, or growing plants in water, and set up a lab using reclaimed water from aquariums to grow vegetables.

Swiftmud spokeswoman Robyn Felix said the students learned how using water from the aquarium is not only a resource for animals, but also a natural fertilizer.

Students collected rainwater from rain barrels to replace the aquarium water and tracked the water collection amounts.

During the study, students also learned about water, nitrogen, carbon and phosphorous cycles. They recorded their experiences and designed PowerPoint presentations, viewed by other students at the school.

Yvette C. Hammett

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