The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Education today announced $25,000 in support for the Quidi Vidi/Rennie’s River Development Foundation for the delivery of virtual programs for students and teachers at The Fluvarium.

The Fluvarium is a public environmental education centre in St. John’s that provides programming to students allowing them to learn about the importance of freshwater ecology and habitats. In a typical year, approximately 10,000 students visit The Fluvarium annually to participate in school programs.

The funding will allow The Fluvarium to continue offering programming to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fluvarium will provide schools with videos that include footage from both indoor and outdoor environments, and will then host a virtual question and answer session with students and teachers. The virtual format will also allow The Fluvarium to reach a greater number of students outside the St. John’s area.

Quotes
“Educational programming at The Fluvarium has provided thousands of students with a unique learning experience that has been impacted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are pleased to provide assistance that will allow The Fluvarium to continue to reach students virtually and I congratulate the Quidi Vidi/Rennie’s River Development Foundation for their efforts to adapt and change during this unprecedented time.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Education

“Our virtual programs will allow students to still experience the sights and sounds of nature, along with the natural spaces and organisms that surround our building. This support has come at a time when we need it most and I want to stress the value this contribution has for our organization and the impact it will make on the lives of students. We are very excited about this opportunity and we look forward to working together with the support from the Provincial Government to ensure a fun and interactive learning experience is accessible to many school-aged children in our province.”
Shantille Butler
Executive Director, Quidi Vidi/Rennie’s River Development Foundation

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Media contacts
Tina Coffey
Education
709-729-1906, 687-9903
tcoffey@gov.nl.ca

Shantille Butler
Executive Director
Quidi Vidi/Rennie’s River Development Foundation
709- 754-3474, 325-1226
sbutler@fluvarium.ca