Ducks Unlimited Certification Raises Expectations for Environmental Science Students

The Study

Polk County, Florida is a fast-growing, diverse community nestled between Orlando and Tampa. With 10% of the county's 2,000 square miles covered by water, many of its neighborhoods, cities, and farms border freshwater wetlands and lakes. Waterfowl, bobcats, alligators, and other unique wildlife call the wetlands home too.

The ninth grade Environmental Science students at Frostproof Middle - Senior High School at Polk County Schools now have a deeper understanding of the complicated relationship between humans and wetlands. At the end of the 2022-23 school year, almost 80% of the environmental science students earned a Ducks Unlimited (DU) Ecology Conservation & Management Certification. At the start of the year, only half of the students had ever even spent time in nature.

“By completing the curriculum, the students are now grounded in the principles of science and conservation,” says Michael Mury, Curriculum Specialist - Science at Polk County Schools. “Here in central Florida where we have all this population growth happening, they can see how changes in human activity are going to affect the world around them.”

 

Experiencing Real-World Benefits

Mury attributes part of the success to their teacher using the certification to set a meaningful goal for students. Not only did the students receive a tangible reward for their hard work, but they are more prepared to enter a growing career field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts wildlife ecology and management jobs to grow 8% through 2026.

Their teacher also provided varied opportunities for students to engage with the material, often with hands-on activities. The students got out of their seats, moved around the room – and sometimes even got out of the classroom to explore the wetlands. They were excited to come to class every day and could see the real-world applications to what they were learning.

Mury adds: “Sometimes students think that I’m not going to be a scientist, so why am I taking science? We all need to think scientifically. In this class, students are empowered to believe that their thought process matters and that what they’re doing matters.”

The Environmental Science students' achievements will result in benefits across the district. Because the students earned acceleration points for passing a state-approved industry certification, Florida will provide funding for the teacher to invest in classroom materials. A drone to explore the wetlands is at the top of the teacher’s wish list. She will also receive a $25 bonus for each student who earned a passing score on the exam.

With so many students passing the exam, Frostproof’s school grade will improve significantly when the students become seniors. As a result, every teacher in the school may receive a $1,000 bonus from the state.

“Sometimes students think that I’m not going to be a scientist, so why am I taking science? We all need to think scientifically. In this class, students are empowered to believe that their thought process matters and that what they’re doing matters.”