Florida Gulf Coast University's Wings of Hope program is expanding its reach beyond elementary school students to involve middle schoolers and high schoolers in the use of wildlife cameras.

Wings of Hope is focused on environmental education for children and has been geared towards those of upper elementary school age since its was formed in 2000. This year, Outreach Coordinator Ann Godsea is expanding the scope of program participants

She said that when presenting the program to area teachers, the middle and high school teachers always asked: Do you have anything for us?”

Godsea said she remembers thinking, “There has to be a way we can expand our program.”

To keep students from having to travel long distances or wait for hours to spot wildlife, Wings of Hope is piloting a new idea that provides middle and high schools with their own wildlife cameras. Once a school signs up to receive them, the cameras are delivered to teachers, along with training and all the equipment needed to use them successfully.

“This is an opportunity for them to have some hands-on learning with one of the tools that wildlife biologists use to monitor wildlife,” Godsea said.

Teachers will provide feedback on what worked and what didn’t then submit the photos they take on the cameras to Wings of Hope. Staff will review the images to check their animal and plant identifications for accuracy before sharing those photos with other community partners such as Lee County Parks and Rec or Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Currently seven schools have cameras, but Godsea said she plans to reach ten schools next fall, and ten schools in the spring of 2027.

The Wings of Hope program is housed in FGCU's College of Arts and Sciences's Whitaker Institute for STEM Education.

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