Nature’s Academy donors are among the best our community has to offer. Our sponsorship levels represent essential living members of our estuary’s food web. As each organism contributes to a local ecosystem’s health, our sponsors play a key role toward increasing science and environmental literacy throughout the community.

Take a look at how – and why – we use your donations below and learn about our different donor levels.

Plankton – The Foundation of the Food Chain

Donation Level: Up to $75

The plankton are colloquially known as the foundation of the food chain: because of them, all other life is supported. They are literally the building blocks of entire ecosystems. Though small in size, they are vastly numerous. Just like plankton, many of our donors may be “small” in size, but their impact is invaluable. Without our Plankton Donors, it would be incredibly difficult to provide quality educational opportunities for students.

Donation Use: Plankton Donors’ donations specifically are used toward the purchase of educational equipment, such as water quality testing equipment, hand-held probes, biodiversity study equipment, dip nets, water shoes, buckets, and more!

You’ll Receive: As a Plankton Donor, you’ll receive our sincerest gratitude, our monthly newsletter, and your choice of a Nature’s Academy decal or sticker.

Sea Grass – Support a Young Scientist

Donation Level: $75 Increments

Over 90% of Gulf of Mexico’s species actually begin their lives in a seagrass community. Seagrass beds are very sensitive to changes in water quality and can help indicate the overall health of an ecosystem.

Our Sea Grass level donors are also fundamentally necessary to impact the health of their “ecosystem”: their local communities.

Donation Use: Sea Grass donors provide the opportunity for at least one local fifth grader to attend one of our STEM-focused Edventures… students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it.

You’ll Receive: As a Sea Grass Sponsor, you’ll receive our sincerest gratitude, our monthly newsletter, your choice of a Nature’s Academy decal or sticker, and a Nature’s Academy hat.

Bay Scallop – Funneling the Ecosystem

Donation Level: $500

Bay Scallops are “filter feeders,” in that they draw in water through their gills and filter out their food. They also have the ability to swim, unlike their cousins, the mussels and clams.

Donation Use: Bay Scallop Sponsors provide the round trip bus transportation to a STEM field trip for at least one entire class.

You’ll Receive: As a Bay Scallop Sponsor, you’ll receive our sincerest gratitude, our monthly newsletter, your choice of a Nature’s Academy decal or sticker, a Nature’s Academy hat, plus your choice of a Nature’s Academy t-shirt or tote bag.

Stone Crab – Tools of Change

Donation Level: $750

Stone Crabs are a sort of “natural recycler,” in that they are actually able to regenerate their claws each time they molt, so fishermen are able to retrieve their claws and then return them to the wild.

At Nature’s Academy, we believe in the importance of environmental stewardship and caring for our local ecosystems, and as such, stress the vital use of recyclable and non-perishing products.

Donation Use: Stone Crab Sponsors provide an entire local class of fifth graders with reusable Nature’s Academy water bottles, to help reinforce the concept of environmental stewardship.

You’ll Receive: As a Stone Crab Sponsor, you’ll receive our sincerest gratitude, our monthly newsletter, your choice of a Nature’s Academy decal or sticker, two Nature’s Academy hats, your choice of (2) of a Nature’s Academy t-shirt or tote bag, and a Nature’s Academy water bottle.

Grouper – Adopt a Class

Donation Level: $1500

Groupers are extremely large fish and bring a world of benefit to their local ecosystems. Some species of grouper can even grow to be upwards of 800 pounds! Needless to say, they’re a huge, powerful force in their community… just like our Grouper Sponsors!

Donation Use: Grouper Sponsors provide at least one entire local class of fifth graders with the opportunity to experience one of our STEM field trips!

You’ll Receive: As a Grouper Sponsor, you’ll receive our sincerest gratitude, our monthly newsletter, your choice of a Nature’s Academy decal or sticker, two Nature’s Academy hats, your choice of (2) of a Nature’s Academy t-shirt or tote bag, a Nature’s Academy water bottle, a Nature’s Academy polo shirt, a special VIP invitation for you and a guest to attend a STEM field trip with your sponsored class, as well as your logo and website link (beneficial for your website’s SEO) added to the Nature’s Academy website during the 2017-2018 school year!

Bull Shark – Adopt a School

Donation Level: $5000

Bull sharks are considered apex predators, as they are the dominant force in our Gulf waters. Powerful, majestic, and greatly influential in the outcome of a local ecosystem, the presence of a bull sharks is greatly respected by other wildlife. Our Bull Shark Sponsors, in the same manner, are powerful, influential forces in our local community and, appropriately, our “apex” sponsor.

Donation Use: Bull Shark Sponsors provide up to 75 fifth graders from an entire local school with the opportunity to experience one of our STEM field trips!

You’ll Receive: As a Bull Shark Sponsor, you’ll receive our sincerest gratitude, our monthly newsletter, your choice of a Nature’s Academy decal or sticker, two Nature’s Academy hats, your choice of (2) of a Nature’s Academy t-shirt or tote bag, a Nature’s Academy water bottle, a Nature’s Academy polo shirt, a special VIP invitation for you and three guests to attend a STEM field trip with your sponsored class, as well as your logo and website link (beneficial for your website’s SEO) added to the Nature’s Academy website during the 2017-2018 school year!

Additionally, we’ll place your logo on water bottles for your sponsored school.