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03/12/2026

St. Petersburg Housing Authority Launching STEM Spring Break Program for Youth

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (MARCH 12, 2026) - The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) will host a STEM Spring Break Program for youth ages 8-15 living in SPHA communities. The two-day program introduces students to real-world environmental challenges while encouraging curiosity about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.

On Monday, March 16, students will participate in the "Pesky Pollution Workshop", where they will learn about pollution and micro-plastics and their impact on marine ecosystems. On Wednesday, March 18, students will take a field trip to The Florida Aquarium in Tampa.

Program Schedule:

Day 1: Pesky Pollution Workshop:

  • Date: Monday, March 16, 2026
  • Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location: The Legacy at Jordan Park, 2350 9th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712

Day 2: Field Trip to The Florida Aquarium:

  • Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
  • Time: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Meeting Location: The Legacy at Jordan Park, 2350 9th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712
  • Field Trip Destination: The Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602

The Spring Break program is part of SPHA's Gulf Futures 3D initiative, a grant-funded STEM program designed to build scientific and environmental literacy among youth in SPHA communities. Through hands-on learning experiences, students investigate real-world environmental challenges facing the Gulf Coast and develop creative solutions using emerging technology.

The mission of SPHA's Gulf Futures 3D initiative is to empower students through a dynamic blend of classroom learning and place-based experiences that ignite curiosity and creativity with emerging 3D technologies.

"Our Spring Break Program gives our youth a chance to see themselves as future engineers," said Kiara Lovett, SPHA's Director of Social Services. "We're helping them build confidence, explore new career paths, and realize that their ideas can truly make a difference in their community."

Gulf Futures 3D initiative is being paid for with a $740,860 grant from the Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to launch the Gulf Futures 3D project.

Projects for the Gulf Futures 3D initiative are being guided by SPHA's partners, including The Sanderlin Center, SelfCAD, St. Petersburg College (SPC), and Tampa Bay Watch. Youth are applying STEM skills to community-driven projects, pinpointing local environmental challenges and designing innovative 3D solutions.

The National Academies' Gulf Research Program (GRP) is an independent, science-based program founded in 2013 as part of legal settlements with the companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The GRP's mission is to develop, translate, and apply science to enhance the safety of offshore energy, the environment, and the well-being of the people of the Gulf region for generations to come. It supports innovative science, guides data design and monitoring, and builds and sustains networks to generate long-term benefits for the Gulf region and the nation.

SPHA is the leading affordable housing provider in the city of St. Petersburg, serving more than 4,000 low-income households. SPHA's mission is to provide safe, sanitary, accessible, decent, and affordable housing to eligible citizens of the city of St. Petersburg, while enhancing and promoting resident self-sufficiency.

For more information about the STEM Spring Break Program, contact: [email protected]

 

Exterior of The Legacy at Jordan Park building.

Exterior of The Legacy at Jordan Park in St. Petersburg, Florida.

 

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ABOUT THE ST. PETERSBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY (SPHA):

An independent quasi-governmental entity and a political subdivision of the State of Florida, operating under Chapter 421 Florida Statutes, SPHA is the local administrative agency for housing assistance programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). SPHA offers a variety of programs and services that provide affordable rental housing to low-income families, seniors, veterans, and the disabled in the greater St. Petersburg region. For more information, visit www.stpeteha.org.

 

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