Tampa Bay, Florida — The UF/IFAS Geomatics Extension program is excited to announce a series of youth workshops in 2026 thanks to a mini-grant from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.
The $5,000 mini-grant was proposed by FFGS Assistant Director for Geomatics Extension Katie Britt. “I’ve seen how exciting marine geomatics applications are to youth – it’s a great way to get them excited about surveying and mapping careers,” Britt said. “ I applied for this mini-grant to work with Tampa Bay 4-H programs to let youth explore their environment in the Bay while gaining geospatial skills for underwater mapping while they also learn more about bay scallops, a popular local resident that is the subject of ongoing restoration projects.”
The “Map Quest: Scallop Habitats” program will introduce high school and middle school youth to the Tampa Bay ecosystem and the key indicator species, Bay Scallops, while using sonar to map underwater and analyze suitable habitats for scallops, learning both about a healthy Tampa Bay and geospatial skills.
The funding will be used to provide access to hands-on curriculum, including sonar to allow students to map the depth and cover of the bed of Tampa Bay, which will allow them to identify and locate suitable habitat for bay scallops.
The funding will be used to purchase equipment to create technology kits to be used with the curriculum, to host all-day workshops where youth will learn about the Tampa Bay ecosystem and collect data out on the water, to support underserved population’s ability to participate, and to sponsor select youth participation in the 2026 Great Bay Scallop Search, at the end of the summer.
Educational materials and technology kits will be available for local educators to check out after the workshops are completed.
The project is a collaboration between the UF School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences Geomatics Extension program, and Hillsborough and Pinellas counties Extension 4-H programs. Tampa Bay youth ages 11 to 18 can participate in the workshops this summer.
Hillsborough County 4-H Agent, Amber Norris has already worked with Britt to briefly introduce sonar mapping to her Fishing Club, and held a GIS Career Exploration Day with local professionals as a result of her interest in sharing these skills and careers with youth, adding, “The youth in Hillsborough County 4-H are so excited to continue our learning in the area of geomatics. We look forward to learning more from industry professionals and being a part of this real-life application of geospatial skills. Marine geomatics is an exciting way for our youth to become stewards of Florida ecosystems.”
Emily Schoenfelder, the Pinellas County 4-H Agent stated, “I’m really excited to get Pinellas County youth involved in this project. I think they’ll have so much fun doing hands-on, environmental science. More importantly, they’ll be able to learn in-demand tech skills and explore possible careers that they wouldn’t be exposed to otherwise. Plus, their efforts can make a real difference in protecting our environment.”
Youth who are interested in learning more information about the workshops or participating can reach out to their local 4-H office. Hillsborough County residents can contact Amber Norris (amber.norris@ufl.edu) or follow them on Facebook. Pinellas County residents can contact Emily Schoenfelder (e.schoenfelder@ufl.edu), follow them on Facebook, or subscribe to their newsletter. If you are not currently a 4-H member, that’s ok, we encourage you to join us, too!
The program is made possible by the support of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program’s Bay Mini-Grants for environmental education projects. Funding comes from a variety of sources, including the “Tarpon Tag” license plate. If you have a “Tarpon Tag,” you’re supporting environmental restoration and education projects like this one, or consider purchasing a tag to support future projects like this one through the Bay Mini-Grant Program. Applications are accepted annually for nonprofits, businesses, and educational institutions working on environmental restoration and education projects in the Tampa Bay watershed.
Learn more about the UF School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences (SFFGS) Geomatics Extension program here. Contact Katie Britt, assistant director for UF/IFAS Geomatics Extension at the University of Florida’s School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences. Reach her at k.britt@ufl.edu or 813-757-2223.
Our mission is to provide surveying education and workforce development programs to both the Florida surveying industry and the public.
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