LIVINGSTON'S WAY INC

THE FUTURE WAVEMAKERS STEM CHALLENGE AND SCHOLARS PROGRAM: DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED 11/30/2024, LIVINGSTON'S WAY LAUNCHED ITS INAUGURAL FUTURE WAVEMAKERS STEM CHALLENGE. THE FUTURE WAVEMAKERS STEM CHALLENGE AND SCHOLARS PROGRAM IS A PREMIER STEM CONSERVATION PROGRAM FOR FLORIDA STUDENTS AGES 4-18, DESIGNED TO SPARK CREATIVITY, PROBLEM-SOLVING, AND LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. THE CHALLENGE INVITED STUDENT-PRODUCED VIDEOS HIGHLIGHTING INNOVATIVE WILDLIFE AND OCEAN CONSERVATION PROJECTS AND INNOVATIONS CONCEPTUALIZED BY THEIR STUDENTS. STUDENTS RESEARCHED KEY TOPICS RANGING FROM WATER QUALITY, ENDANGERED SPECIES, PLASTIC POLLUTION AND MORE. THEY INTERVIEWED EXPERT SCIENTISTS, MARINE BIOLOGISTS, TEACHERS, AND MORE TO LEARN ABOUT THESE TOPICS. THE STUDENTS THEN CAME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND INVENTIONS FOR THESE ISSUES. THROUGH OUR WEBSITE: FUTUREWAVEMAKERS.ORG PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS UPLOADED THEIR VIDEOS. IN 2023 AND 2024, FUTURE WAVEMAKERS STEM CHALLENGE ENGAGED 98 SCHOOLS ACROSS FLORIDA SPANNING FROM JACKSONVILLE TO ORLANDO TO TAMPA TO MIAMI TO THE FLORIDA KEYS AND PALM BEACH COUNTY, DRAWING HUNDREDS OF VIDEO SUBMISSIONS FROM STUDENTS PASSIONATE ABOUT OCEAN, WILDLIFE, AND STEM. THE PROGRAM REACHED MORE THAN 250,000 PEOPLE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, ONLINE PLATFORMS, AND MEDIA COVERAGE, AMPLIFYING AWARENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND YOUTH-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS. MORE THAN 2,075 VOLUNTEER HOURS WERE DONATED TO THIS PROGRAM FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS AND VOLUNTEERS OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE TOP 100 STUDENTS WERE INVITED TO LEARN FROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S EXPLORER-AT-LARGE, DR. SYLVIA EARLE, SCIENTIST, CARLEE JACKSON, AND AUTHOR, DR. WALLACE J. NICHOLS AT THE COX SCIENCE CENTER AND AQUARIUM THROUGH OUR KIDS PROGRAMMING. THESE TOP STUDENTS WERE INVITED TO ATTEND THIS PROGRAM FOR THEM AND A PARENT OR GUARDIAN FOR FREE. THE CHALLENGE ALSO CULMINATED IN A LIVE PITCH PROGRAM WITH THE TOP (16) SIXTEEN STUDENTS WHO WERE SELECTED BY A JUDGING PANEL TO PRESENT THEIR CONSERVATION IDEAS BEFORE AN ESTEEMED PANEL OF JUDGES. THESE JUDGES INCLUDED DR. SYLVIA EARLE, A GLOBAL OCEAN ICON; CARLEE JACKSON, A RENOWNED SHARK SCIENTIST AND AUTHOR; DR. WALLACE J. NICHOLS, THE LATE MARINE BIOLOGIST AND AUTHOR OF BLUE MIND; JACK LIGHTON, CEO OF 4OCEAN AND A LEADING EXPERT IN SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION; AND GABRIELLE RAYMOND MCGEE, THE AUTHOR AND FOUNDER OF THE FUTURE WAVEMAKERS. THEIR PARTICIPATION UNDERSCORED THE COMPETITION'S SIGNIFICANCE, PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH AN UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THEIR WORK TO SOME OF THE MOST RESPECTED LEADERS IN CONSERVATION. FINALIST'S PROPOSALS SHOWCASED BOTH INGENUITY AND REAL WORLD IMPACT. EOGHAN M. (A SENIOR AT FAU HIGH SCHOOL) PRESENTED HIS IDEA FOR AN UNDERWATER ADAPTABLE ROV TO FURTHER EXPLORE THE OCEAN FLOOR; JOANNA D (ELEVENTH GRADER FROM DREYFOOS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS) PRESENTED A VACUUM TO CLEAN UP ALGAE BLOOM ISSUES; SAXON S (A SENIOR AT PLANTATION HIGH SCHOOL) CREATED A SUSTAINABLE RETAIL BUSINESS; ISAAC N. (9 YEARS OLD, HOME-SCHOOLED FROM JUPITER) PRESENTED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES. HIS COMMUNICATIONS WERE SO STRONG HE HAS GONE ON TO SECURE HIS OWN TV SHOW ABOUT INSPIRING KIDS TO PROTECT NATURE. NICOLE H. (SIXTH GRADER AT SWITZERLAND POINT MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM JACKSONVILLE, FL) HAS GONE ON TO MENTOR KIDS AROUND THE WORLD WITH DISABILITIES ABOUT STEM EDUCATION. NICOLE HAS SINCE EARNED INTERNATIONAL AWARDS FOR HER STEM LEADERSHIP. ONE STUDENT IN PARTICULAR, AVAILA J. (A SECOND GRADER AT DIAMOND VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN GREENACRES, FL) ORGANIZED A SUSTAINABLE FASHION SHOW WITH NEARLY 800 OF HER PEERS AT HER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. HER LEADERSHIP HAS CREATED A TRANSFORMATION AT HER SCHOOL. EMILIANA F. (THIRD GRADER AT NEW HORIZONS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WELLINGTON) HAS GONE ON TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT PROTECTING SEA TURTLES AND SHE HAS CREATED HER OWN SCHOOL ROAD SHOW TO TEACH OTHER KIDS. EACH OF THE TOP (16) SIXTEEN FINALISTS IN THE FUTURE WAVEMAKERS CHALLENGE WAS AWARDED AN EDUCATIONAL GRANT RANGING FROM $1,000 TO $5,000, PROVIDING THEM WITH RESOURCES TO FURTHER THEIR STEM EDUCATION. SCHOOL STEM GRANT PROGRAM: ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE OUTCOMES OF THE 2023-2024 COMPETITION UNFOLDED AT DIAMOND VIEW ELEMENTARY, A TITLE I SCHOOL IN GREENACRES THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED JUST $250 FOR STEM INSTRUCTION ACROSS 800 STUDENTS. AFTER EARNING OUR $10,000 SCHOOL OF THE YEAR STEM EDUCATION GRANT, DIAMOND VIEW LAUNCHED CO-ED ROBOTICS TEAMS THAT ADVANCED TO REGIONAL COMPETITIONS, HOSTED IMMERSIVE BIOLUMINESCENCE STEM NIGHTS DRAWING OVER 200 FAMILIES, AND TRANSFORMED ITS CLASSROOMS WITH NEW IPADS, LAPTOPS AND CODING SOFTWARE. THE SCHOOL THEN CELEBRATED A CAMPUS WIDE "FUTURE WAVEMAKERS DAY," IN WHICH ALL 800 STUDENTS DONNED OCEAN HERO COSTUMES AND GATHERED FOR A STEM ASSEMBLY LED BY OUR FOUNDER, GABRIELLE RAYMOND MCGEE, DEEPENING THEIR CONNECTION TO FLORIDA'S NATURE AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE INTERCONNECTIVITY OF MARINE LIFE AND HUMANS. THIS INFUSION OF RESOURCES AND INSPIRATION NOT ONLY EXPANDED HANDS ON LEARNING BUT ALSO IGNITED A LASTING CULTURE OF INNOVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.THE CHALLENGE AND SCHOLARS PROGRAM SUCCESS WAS DRIVEN BY DEEP PARTNERSHIPS WITH LEADING NONPROFIT AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THE EVERGLADES FOUNDATION LED STATEWIDE OUTREACH ENSURING EVERY EVERGLADES CHAMPION SCHOOL LEARNED ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND FEATURED IT ACROSS THEIR SOCIAL CHANNELS AND EDUCATOR NEWSLETTER. COX SCIENCE CENTER & AQUARIUM GENEROUSLY WAIVED VENUE FEES, HOSTED HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS FOR OUR LIVE FINALS AND WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH OUR VOLUNTEER TEAM TO DELIVER A SEAMLESS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. FP&L'S MANATEE LAGOON AMPLIFIED OUR MESSAGE THROUGH THEIR COMMUNICATIONS, AND FROST SCIENCE CENTER SHARED OUR PROGRAM WITH THEIR STEM GROUPS. TOGETHER, THESE COLLABORATIONS EXPANDED OUR FOOTPRINT, CONNECTED STUDENTS WITH WORLD CLASS STEM MENTORS, AND INSPIRED THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATION LEADERS.

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS: DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED 11/30/2024, LIVINGSTON'S WAY PARTNERED WITH THE BEACH BUCKET FOUNDATION TO TURN ROUTINE SHORELINE CLEANUPS INTO IMMERSIVE CONSERVATION CLASSROOMS. MORE THAN 250 CHILDREN, PARENTS AND TEACHERS DONNED GLOVES AND GRABBED BUCKETS PROVIDED BY BEACH BUCKET TO REMOVE OVER 80 POUNDS OF DEBRIS FROM FLORIDA'S BEACHES. TURTLE SCIENTIST ANDREA WHITTAKER JOINED EACH CLEANUP, CONNECTING VOLUNTEERS' EFFORTS TO THE REAL WORLD IMPACTS ON SEA TURTLES AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. BY TRANSFORMING TRASH COLLECTION INTO HANDS ON LESSONS IN WILDLIFE PROTECTION, THESE EVENTS INSTILLED A LASTING SENSE OF STEWARDSHIP AND EMPOWERED THE NEXT GENERATION TO SEE THEMSELVES AS ACTIVE OCEAN GUARDIANS.BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, THESE CLEANUPS INSTILLED A LASTING SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND STEWARDSHIP IN THE NEXT GENERATION. BY PROVIDING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH HANDS-ON OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN CONSERVATION WORK, THE PROGRAM EMPOWERED THEM TO SEE THEMSELVES AS ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN PROTECTING THE OCEAN. THE EXPERIENCE NOT ONLY STRENGTHENED THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF CONSERVATION ISSUES, BUT ALSO FOSTERED A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY.IN FALL 2024, HURRICANE HELENE'S TORRENTIAL RAINS AND RECORD STORM SURGE UNLEASHED MORE THAN FOUR FEET OF SALTWATER INTO CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM DISABLING LIFE SUPPORT PUMPS, FLOODING CRITICAL ANIMAL CARE AREAS AND ENDANGERING RESCUED DOLPHINS, SEA TURTLES AND MANATEES. IN RESPONSE, LIVINGSTON'S WAY AWARDED AN EMERGENCY RELIEF GRANT THAT FUNDED THE RAPID REINSTATEMENT OF CMA'S CRITICAL ANIMAL CARE UNIT AND RE-INSTATED THE STUDENT AND FAMILY FOCUSED OUTREACH PROGRAMS. TODAY, CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM AMPLIFIES OUR PARTNERSHIP BY SHOWCASING THE FUTURE WAVEMAKERS COMPETITION AND SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND KIDS SUMMIT ACROSS ITS DIGITAL CHANNELS AND COLLABORATING ON A DEDICATED FUTURE WAVEMAKERS EVENT SERIES EXTENDING OUR SHARED MISSION OF MARINE CONSERVATION EDUCATION TO EVEN MORE YOUNG FLORIDIANS.