The University of Florida's Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory (TAL) is dedicated to helping K-12 schools teach aquaculture in their classrooms. This is done through a multitude of avenues including system design and construction, procuring supplies and aquatic an imals, curriculum building, test evaluation, and more. The goals of these programs is to provide access to aquaculture for those individuals that desire it as well as exposing students to the realities (and m yths) of aquaculture production. The Florida FFA Career Development Event (CDE) and the Florida Aquaculture Association's (FAA) Aquaculture Certification are two programs we are involved with that help fulfill that mission.
The TAL hosts the Florida FFA CDE. Middle and high school FFA aquaculture teams participate in a pre-test to qualify for this state competition held each spring. Four member teams from the top-scoring schools in the state travel to TAL for the competition. Teams rotate through three practicums and a written exam before making a team presentation on a given topic. The purpose of the Aquaculture CDE is to stimulate student interest in the aquaculture industry, encourage aquaculture instruction in the agricultural education curriculum, and to provide recognition for those who have demonstrated skills and competencies in the area of aquaculture management.
The FAA Aquaculture Certification program is designed to grant entry level certification into the industry and increase the use of aquaculture curriculums taught in high schools. The TAL works closely with FAA to ensure that the test adequately addresses aquaculture issues that are important to Florida and the US and annually validates the accuracy of the test itself . In addition, TAL helps schools prepare for issues that will help them do well on the certification test and when they segue into the aquaculture industry.
This talk will discuss details associated with both of these programs as well as cover other activities that help TAL expand K-12 aquaculture knowledge within Florida.