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• Everglades Avengers • Alan Halaly, Anna Bayuk, Leah Ronkin, Sol-Be Park,

Aidan Ramasar, and Rebekka Friborg• Coral Springs Middle School• Coral Springs, FL

Land/Water Challenge #1

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PART 1: What’s the environmental issue?The Everglades Avengers are interested in

preventing the release of nonnative species into the Everglades by pet store customers. Nonnative species introduced into the Everglades affect the delicate ecosystem causing the decline in our native species. Species such as the Burmese Python may not have natural predators or outcompete our native species. Burmese Pythons even eat alligators! So the Everglades Avengers say -

“Keep it Everglades Wild!”

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PART 2: What’s your action plan?

The Everglades Avengers will complete the following tasks:

• Conduct research using the internet to find what species sold in pet stores have been released into the Everglades.

• Inform other Coral Springs Middle School students of the problem involving nonnative species introduced into the Everglades bought from pet stores by speaking to classes.

“Keep it Everglades

Wild!”

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PART 2: What’s your action plan? (continued)

•Go into local pet stores and conduct interviews with the manager to see if the store has a policy of providing information and screening customers before pets are sold.•Ask pet stores if a flier can be placed on the community bulletin that promotes, “Keep it Everglades Wild!”.

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PART 2: What’s your action plan? (continued)

• Post fliers in Coral Springs Middle School science classrooms to remind students of our message, “Keep it Everglades Wild!”– All members will be assigned to research, half of the

members will go to local pet stores to conduct interviews and post fliers, and the rest will volunteer to speak to other CSMS students through the science classes in order to inform others and post fliers.

– Success will be determined by the number of students that hear our message.

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PART 3: How did you implement your ideas?• Our team researched on the internet and found an extensive resource with detailed information regarding

nonnative species present in the Everglades.

"Nonnative Species: Florida's Excotic Fish and Wildlife ." Florida Fish and Wildlife

Conservation Commission. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Oct 2013.

<http://www.myfwc.com/nonnatives>.

• When interviewing a Pet Store manager, we learned of a local effort that places dogs that have been abandoned in

the Everglades. This was something we did not expect to learn, but reinforced the seriousness of being a pet owner.

"100 Plus Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida." . 100 Plus Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida, n.d. Web. 6 Oct

2013.

<http:/100plusabandoneddogsofevergladesflorida.com/>.

Using this space, please respond to the following: • What did your team do?• Did you organize a school event or a community wide event to raise awareness of the issue? Tell us about it.• Did you work with any local environmental groups, governmental agencies, schools, etc? Tell us about it.• What did you do to get the word out about your project? (e.g. create a Web site, TeacherTube video, press release, write a blog, etc.)

Please provide a list of any internet links to your website, online videos, blog etc.

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PART 3: How did you implement your ideas? (continued)

• Students visited science classes at CSMS and informed others about releasing nonnative species into the Everglades.

• Fliers were posted in each science classroom to remind students to “Keep it Everglades Wild!”

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PART 3: How did you implement your ideas? (continued)

• Fliers were posted at the following locations:

Pet Supplies Plus1368 SW 160 AveSunrise, FL 33326

AndPet Supermarket4555 Weston Rd.Davie, FL 3331

• Juan Mejia, the store manager at Pet Supplies Plus reviewed the policies that are reviewed before they sell pets. He added that they are very concerned about the health and wellbeing of their animals and do all they can to ensure responsible pet ownership.

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PART 4: Evaluate your plan. What are the results?

Our team felt that our efforts were successful. The

pet stores were very supportive and concerned about the

welfare of these animals just as we were. The managers

were glad to speak with us and volunteered to put up our

fliers. We were worried that the pet stores would not care

for us to be asking questions, but we were very pleasantly

surprised.

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PART 4: Evaluate your plan. What are the results? (continued)

Members spoke to other sixth graders at Coral

Springs Middle School going into the science

classrooms. Fliers were posted in each one of these

classrooms. The total number of students that are now

aware of our efforts is approximately 370. The members

would like to continue to expand our reach and plan to

visit seventh and eight grade science classrooms. Fliers

were also given to the sixth grade assistant principal, D.

Karbowski and CSMS principal, Ian Murray.

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PART 4: Evaluate your plan. What are the results? (continued)

The Everglades Avengers learned a

number of things from our efforts. The most

important being that our Everglades are a

national treasure and we must work to preserve

it. Nonnative species will impact our ecosystem

and may change it forever, losing our heritage.

Our South Florida community needs to be more

responsible when it comes to caring for our

animals.

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What will your team/school/teacher advisor do with their winnings?

• All students involved in the Lexus Eco Challenge will use their proceeds to purchase

technology for education.

• Coral Springs Middle School’s winnings will be used to purchase science equipment for

the science department.

• Winnings for the teacher advisor will be used to acquire technology to improve the

learning environment.

See official prizing breakdown

See official rules

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Project Gallery

Please help prevent the release of nonnative species into the Everglades. Nonnative species

that include birds, reptiles, fish, mammals, amphibians, and marine life impact the

Everglades ecosystem. Nonnative species like the Burmese Python prey on native species of

birds, mammals, and even alligators!

Keep it “Everglades Wild”!

Take advantage of the Exotic Pet Amnesty Program and bring in exotic pets that you can no longer afford or wish to keep.

Next Amnesty Event: Saturday, November 16, 2013

10 a.m. until 2 p.m.Florida Panther Festival, http://www.floridapantherfestival.com/index.html

North Collier Regional Park15000 Livingston Road

Naples, Fl 34119 

Brought to you by the Everglades Avengers

Flier

Layout

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Project Gallery

Recorded interview of pet store manager

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The Everglades Avengers say,

“Keep it Everglades Wild”!