The Gus A. Stavros Center for Free Enterprise and Economic Education received a $40,000 gift from to support Sustainability Superheroes, a professional development program that provides Florida teachers with sustainability training, mentorship and resources.
The Sustainability Superheroes initiative was launched in 2019 through a $200,500 grant from . To date, the program has empowered nearly 1,300 teachers to creatively introduce and incorporate sustainability topics into their school curriculum based on Florida teaching standards. The gift from Coca-Cola Beverages Florida will support ongoing professional development workshops on key sustainability initiatives, including recycling, water stewardship, litter and waste reduction and resiliency.
鈥淪ustainability is one of our core community pillars at Coke Florida,鈥� said Erin Black, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida鈥檚 vice president of sustainability, risk management and facilities. 鈥淎s the local Coca-Cola bottler, we are committed to investing in our communities by providing tools and opportunities for educators to learn and teach others how to lead a more sustainable life. Their students are our next generation of environmental leaders.鈥�
The gift from Coca-Cola Beverages Florida will support ongoing professional development workshops on key sustainability initiatives, including recycling, water stewardship, litter and waste reduction and resiliency.
鈥淭he ongoing contributions will allow the Stavros Center to have a statewide impact in enhancing the instructional skills of K-12 educators in areas related to sustainability,鈥� said Dick J. Puglisi, PhD, chair and director of the Gus A. Stavros Center. 鈥淎lthough the USF Stavros Center鈥檚 regional impact is a six-county/school district area, the partnership with Coca-Cola Beverages Florida gives educators throughout Florida the opportunity to integrate sustainability concepts into their curriculum by participating in these professional development sessions.鈥�
Housed in the USF College of Education, the Gus A. Stavros Center works to advance
the effective teaching and integration of free enterprise, financial literacy and
economic education into the
K-20 curricula. For more than 40 years, the center has provided quality professional
development to educators in a variety of areas relating to free enterprise and the
global economy.
鈥淭he Stavros Center is the premier destination for educators seeking professional development, training or support to effectively teach their students about free enterprise, economics and the global economy,鈥� said R. Anthony Rolle, PhD, dean of the USF College of Education. 鈥淭he Sustainability Superheroes initiative is a wonderful example of how the Stavros Center works with business partners in the community to teach essential financial skills to today鈥檚 students. We are incredibly grateful to Coca-Cola Beverages Florida for their support of this innovative program.鈥�