PINE ISLAND, Fla. — When a child really wants to save money, they do it.
Whether it’s a new pair of shoes, a new video game, or even a new smart phone, we know they can make it happen.
One group of students saved their money to help save our waterways.
Fourth graders at Pine Island Elementary School worked hard to make quite a big investment.
“I did extra chores,” 10-year-old Chance Barnhill told FOX 4.
That was a common answer many students shared when asked just how they gathered the money they used to purchase a mini-reef.
They tell FOX 4 it cost them $250.
Students like 10-year-old Cay Stevens say taking care of our waters is a very personal endeavor.
“’I've grown up here on Pine Island. And we’re surrounded by water. Half the food that we eat is from the fish, and from things in the water,” Stevens said.
That’s why she says it’s worth their investment.
“This coral reef will help filter our water, and make it even better for our ecosystem.”
The reef comes from the non-profit Ocean Habitats.
They say one mini-reef can clean over 30,000 gallons of water per day, and encourage the growth of 300 fish per year.
Students say this is an accomplishment.
“I feel like I completed something big,” Chance Barnhill says.
Their effort is an accomplishment for local students, and a reminder that our ecosystem needs all of us.
The students’ contribution will help Ocean Habitats achieve their goal towards 1,000 reefs. You can find out more here.
