Grant: 21-016E
Project Title: STPS Education Center Update/Modernization
Project Manager: Becky Aud
Organization: Sea Turtle Preservation Society (Non-Profit Organization)
Grant Amount: $7,549.37
Completion Date: 2023-09-15

Summary: The Sea Turtle Preservation Society (STPS) will upgrade and modernize its current education center, which has been in use since 2003. Over 8,200 students make use of the center each year and educational materials, including Traveling Trunks containing a large inventory of teaching aids, are distributed for use from the center approximately 10 times per year. Additionally, thousands of STPS gift shop visitors walk through the education center each year. With the addition of new interactive educational materials, additional overhead lighting, and a new floor plan including dual use tables with storage areas, the education center will connect visitors with sea turtles and instill a conservation mindset within the community.

Results: As you pass through the door to the STPS Education Center, your attention is drawn to the life size model of a sub adult leatherback sea turtle next to a loggerhead, green and hawksbill. The center includes sea turtle floor stickers, you notice the paper origami hatchlings dropping from the ceiling representing the "one in a thousand hatchlings" survival rate explained on wall signage with text connecting sea turtle history to present day efforts. The next wall mural "It All Begins Here" depicts the nesting cycle of a sea turtle with a model of a turtle nest. Below the mural are images showing the different tracks made by sea turtles. Continuing to the next countertop display the visitor learns some facts about sea turtles. The next wall chart "How You Measure Up" allows children to measure themselves to each species of sea turtles. The next station has the laptop and flat screen display that is used for research and viewing of videos of sea turtle life and research. This area is also for reading of books/magazines. Turning around to the center counters, there is an interactive "Race to the Sea" game that have players choose a species, spin a wheel to move spaces along a path to the Sargasso sea, showing challenges that hatchlings face in their early life. Now visitors are close up to the life size models of sea turtles found in our area (green, leatherback, loggerhead, hawksbill). The "Helping Sea Turtles Survive" mural on the wall behind, depicts with photos of regional volunteer groups, researchers, animal care facilities, state divisions and community, activities how individual visitors can help sea turtles survive. It highlights how people come together to help sea turtles. As the visitor leave this representation of sea turtle life, they see the Sea Turtle License Plate image giving recognition to the major funding source for this renovation of The Sea Turtle Preservation Society Education Center.