Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is proud to share the rebuilding of its ADA-compliant floating education platform on City Island, thanks to a generous grant from the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County (Community Foundation). The floating platform and walkway, or “outdoor classroom,” which serves as a vital resource for accessible marine science education at Mote, was significantly damaged last October when Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck the barrier islands in quick succession. Unfortunately, the damage rendered the outdoor classroom unusable.
Since its original construction with support from the Community Foundation several years ago, the platform has hosted hundreds of thousands of participants, including school groups, homeschoolers, summer campers, and lifelong learners. In 2024 alone, more than 50,000 students attended Mote’s education programs on City Island.
With the platform out of commission, Mote’s education programs were left with limited water access. Now, thanks to the Community Foundation’s support through the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund, the floating classroom will once again offer students interactive education opportunities in Sarasota Bay.
“Mote’s floating classroom provides invaluable hands-on experiences for students from across the region, connecting what they are learning in their science classes to the teeming marine ecosystem right here in our backyard, and we’re proud to have played a role in helping the classroom reopen,” said Kirsten Russell, Community Foundation Vice President of Community Impact. “While Hurricanes Helene and Milton may have dealt the classroom a blow, through community initiatives like our Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund, we are working with organizations like Mote to help them recover so they can continue to provide unique educational opportunities for students in our areas for years to come.”
Now fully rebuilt and ready for use, the floating classroom has reopened. Summer camps, field trips, homeschool programs, and lifelong learning experiences will continue to be offered at both the City Island campus and upcoming Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA), ensuring that the outdoor classroom remains an essential and well-loved resource for tens of thousands of learners each year.
“Mote’s mission has always been about fostering curiosity and inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards,” said Dr. Aly Busse, Mote’s Associate Vice President of Education. “Support from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund restores an invaluable outdoor classroom where students of all ages and abilities can engage with Sarasota Bay, stimulating their interest in STEM learning for years to come.”