After receiving training from Cathie Catasus, Program Manager from Lake County Water Authority (LCWA), Upper School science teacher Mrs. Amy Napoles, along with the STEM-Sustainability SAC students and students from the Environmental Club, will now be able to participate in Florida LAKEWATCH, a water quality monitoring program established in 1986 that uses citizen volunteers to actively participate in monthly data collection to support the management of our lakes, estuaries, rivers, and springs.
“I’m excited to work on some long-term monitoring of the health of Lake Florence in my classes,” said Mrs. Napoles.
According to their website, “LAKEWATCH is now one of the largest lake monitoring programs in the nation with over 1800 trained citizens currently monitoring 525 lakes, 175 estuary stations, 125 river stations, 20 coastal dune lakes and 10 spring runs in 57 counties.”
Students will be monitoring the water quality of Lake Florence, located on Montverde Academy’s beautiful campus, and providing monthly water samples that will be used to provide official data for LCWA and the LAKEWATCH website.
“I’m really excited to be involved in the water quality testing at [Lake Florence] with my fellow club members,” said senior Anthony Palanti. “This project offers a unique opportunity to dive deep into environmental science and learn firsthand how we can monitor and improve water quality. What excites me most is the chance to make a tangible impact on our local ecosystem while learning valuable skills along the way. It’s fascinating to see how small changes in water quality can affect the health of an entire community, and I’m looking forward to discovering how we can all contribute to making our environment healthier and more sustainable.”
