Press Release
Fla. Museum receives grant to start MESS program in Marion County
For Immediate Release Dec. 19, 2005
Contact:
Paul Ramey, Dir. of Marketing and Public Relations
Florida Museum of Natural History
(352) 846-2000, ext. 218, pramey@ufl.edu
Writer: Emily Banks
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The Florida Museum of Natural History has received a $397,143 grant from the Administration for Children, Youth and Families/Head Start Bureau to expand its Marvelous Explorations through Science and Stories program into Marion County.
The Florida Museum will work with Childhood Development Services Inc. of Ocala, Marion County Public Library System, Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center and Marion County Public Schools on this one-year implementation grant.
The project's primary goals are to more fully integrate MESS into the Head Start program, further develop teacher training and mentoring and to expand programs aimed at family members, particularly males. The project will evaluate the impact of MESS on the language, emerging-literacy and school-readiness skills and science understanding of children. It also will evaluate the quality and quantity of learning opportunities in Head Start classrooms and family involvement in children's learning during preschool, kindergarten and first grade. MESS is a science-based literacy curriculum initially developed by the Florida Museum in partnership with the Alachua County Public Schools and the Alachua County Library District.
Florida Museum Center for Informal Science Education Director Betty Dunckel is the principal investigator for MESS, and Shari Ellis is the co-principal investigator and MESS project director. For more information on the project, call (352) 846-2000, ext. 209 or 266.
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The Florida Museum of Natural History is Florida's state natural history museum, dedicated to understanding, preserving and interpreting biological diversity and cultural heritage. It is located near the intersection of Southwest 34th Street and Hull Road in the University of Florida Cultural Plaza in Gainesville. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Florida Museum is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Butterfly Rainforest admission is $7.50 for adults and $4.50 for children ages 3-12. For more information, including directions and parking information, call (352) 846-2000, or visit the museum online, www.flmnh.ufl.edu.