IS THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS COMING UP, THE FALLOUT AFTER A STRONG EARTHQUAKE STRIKES WEST OF CUBA AFTER A MINOR TREMORS WERE FELT ALONG THE COAST OF WESTERN FLORIDA.

COULD THIS BE THE START OF MORE SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN THE REGION AFTER NEARLY BEING HUNTED TO THE POINT OF EXTINCTION IN THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES, NEW NESTING NUMBERS GIVE HOPE FOR AN IMPORTANT SPECIES OF THE FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM.

THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL.

AND A NEW STATE LAW REQUIRES CHILDREN TO LEARN CURSIVE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WHY THIS STYLE OF PENMANSHIP BUILD SKILLS FAR BEYOND WHAT YOU SEE BETWEEN THE LINES.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

TREMORS WERE FELT ACROSS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THIS PAST MONDAY AFTER A STRONG EARTHQUAKE STRUCK OFF THE COAST OF CUBA.

THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SAYS THE 6.1 MAGNITUDE QUAKE IS THE LARGEST TO IMPACT WESTERN CUBA IN NEARLY 150 YEARS TREMORS WERE FELT FROM CANCUN, MEXICO ALL THE WAY UP THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA.

THE USGS EVEN SAYING IT RECEIVED REPORTS FROM PEOPLE IN JACKSONVILLE, NO INJURIES OR DAMAGES WERE REPORTED.

BUT QUESTIONS LINGER ABOUT THE PROXIMITY OF THE AT THE CENTER TO THE UNITED STATES.

>> FOR MORE ON EARTHQUAKES IN THE GULF.

I'M NOW JOINED BY DOCTOR RAYMOND RUSSO.

>> HE IS A GEO PHYSICS PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES.

>> DOCTOR RUSSO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

COMES UP WITH DOCTOR A SMALLER 4.3 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE HAS REALLY GOOD TUESDAY NIGHT NEAR CUBA.

JUST ONE DAY.

>> AFTER THE 6.0, ONE MAGNITUDE QUAKE WAS FELT BY MANY PEOPLE IN FLORIDA, INCLUDING SOME HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

NOW THIS IS REPORTED TO BE THE LARGEST EVER RECORDED AND CLOSE TO FLORIDA.

HOW RARE IS IT TO HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE IN THIS PART OF THE GULF?

>> LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S THE ONLY ONE WE KNOW ABOUT.

AND THE LET'S LET'S BE CLEAR.

WE'VE ONLY BEEN RECORDING EARTHQUAKES WITH GOOD FIDELITY TO LOCATION FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS.

SO, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THAT, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN EARTHQUAKES OUT THERE THAT WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

CERTAINLY HISTORICALLY, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN EARTHQUAKES OUT THERE THAT WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

THIS IS A HIGHLY UNUSUAL EVENT.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT THERE'S NOT PRECEDENT.

CERTAINLY THERE'S NO RECORDED SIZE OF A CITY IN THIS AREA THAT WE KNOW ABOUT.

SO VERY UNUSUAL.

>> HOW COMMON TO FEEL THE EFFECT FROM AN EARTHQUAKE.

>> FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2006, THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE THAT WAS JUST OFF THE COAST OF LOUISIANA, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, THERE.

THAT WAS ALMOST A MAGNITUDE 6.

AND I FELT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FELT THAT IN FLORIDA.

SO, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST TWICE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS HAS BEEN THERE'S BEEN SOME ACTIVITY THAT HAS BEEN FELT.

I'VE HEARD ANECDOTALLY THAT PEOPLE HAVE FELT IN FLORIDA, EARTHQUAKES, BIG, HUGE EARTHQUAKES FROM SOUTH AMERICA.

VERY DEEP.

BACK IN 1994.

BUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY NOTHING CLOSE LIKE THESE.

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHERE THIS WAS LOCATED EXACTLY IN THE GULF AND WHY IT'S SO UNUSUAL?

>> YES, SO THE EARTHQUAKE HAPPENED IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE GULF.

JUST OFF THE COAST OF CUBA, THE WESTERN COAST OF CUBA AND A LITTLE BIT TO THE NORTHEAST OF YUCATAN IN THE YUCATAN CHANNEL.

AND THAT'S A LOCATION WHERE WE HAVEN'T RECORDED ANY SIZE MEAN CITY.

AS I WAS SAYING EARLIER, IT IS WELL NORTH OF THE PLATE BOUNDARY BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA.

SO THIS IS WELL INSIDE A NORTH AMERICAN PLATE.

AND THE CARIBBEAN PLATE, WHICH LIES TO THE SOUTH.

THAT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 300 MILES AWAY WITH A PLATE BOUNDARY ACTUALLY IS TODAY.

SO THE LOCATION FOR AN EARTHQUAKE LIKE THIS AND HAD A STRANGE.

IT HAD A STRANGE FALL MECHANISM.

I'M NOT REALLY EASILY CORRELATED WITH ANY KIND OF MOTIONS THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON BETWEEN THE CARIBBEAN AND NORTH AMERICA EITHER.

SO, YOU KNOW, FAR FROM THE ZONE OF EXPECTATIONS FOR EARTHQUAKES, AN ODD SAID A FAULT MOTIONS TO.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK EXPLAINS IT.

>> WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AND I THINK WE YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY.

THE EARTHQUAKE SHOWED THAT THE THE THE SHALLOW PART OF THE EARTH IN THIS AREA IS UNDER COMPRESSION IS BEING SQUEEZED FROM SOMETHING AND BECAUSE WE'RE WELL WITHIN THE PLAY, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT COULD ACTUALLY BE DOING THAT SQUEEZING, YOU KNOW, FAR-FIELD SOME FROM FROM VERY FAR AWAY, MAYBE STRESSES ARE TRANSMITTED TO THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION.

BUT WHY IT FEELS AND AND FAILS IN THIS PARTICULAR WAYS.

IT'S KIND OF REALLY ON ON CORRELATED WITH ANYTHING THAT WE CAN.

WE CAN LINK TO NORTON UNDERSTAND.

WELL.

>> COULD YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE LOCATION OF THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE THAT WAS DEVASTATING TO HAITI AND 2021.

>> SURE, YOU KNOW, HAITI EARTHQUAKE WAS ACTUALLY IN THE PLATE BOUNDARY ZONE BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN PLATE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ENTIRELY EXPECTED.

PLATE BOUNDARIES ALWAYS TAKING UP MOTION BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA, WHICH IS MOVING ONE WAY AND THE CARIBBEAN PLAY, WHICH IS MOVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

THERE.

AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, WHAT HAPPENS IS THE MOTIONS BUILDUP, STRESS AND STRAIN IN THE PLAY BOUNDARIES ON EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

THE STRAIN ACTUALLY LIKE OVERCOME THE STRENGTH OF THE LOCKS WEEK AND THEY FAIL AND YOU GET AN EARTHQUAKE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE 2010 EARTHQUAKE WAS COMPLETELY EXPECTED.

THIS EARTHQUAKE IS VERY FAR AWAY FROM THERE AND IS VERY WORK FAR AWAY FROM THE PLATE BOUNDARIES ON TOO.

SO WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD CONCEPTUAL CONTEXT FOR WHY THIS PARTICULAR EARTHQUAKE IS HAPPENING, WHERE IT IS AND HOW IT HAPPENED.

>> IN FLORIDA NOW, SHOULD WE BE MORE AWARE WATCHING FOR NATURAL OCCURRENCES AS A RESULT OF THE 6.0?

ONE QUAKE LIKE SINKHOLES ARE THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT COULD HAPPEN.

STILL.

>> WELL, I THINK 6.1 FOR THE LOCATION OF THIS PARTICULAR EARTHQUAKE.

IT'S NOT LIKELY TO HAVE CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE OR OR, YOU KNOW, SINKHOLE FORMATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

CLOSER AND LARGER MAGNITUDE WOULD CERTAINLY DO IT.

AND FOR ME, THE MOST WORRISOME THING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR EARTHQUAKE IS.

IT HAD THE POTENTIAL.

IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SHALLOW AND IT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO ACTUALLY DISRUPT THE SEA FLOOR.

BUT IT WASN'T VERY BIG.

SO A LARGER EARTHQUAKE, A LARGER MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE.

WITH THE SAME STYLE OF MOTION IN THAT LOCATION COULD CAUSE A TSUNAMI.

AND THE TSUNAMI CAN ACTUALLY BE VERY DAMAGING, EVEN IF THE WAVES DON'T, YOU KNOW, CAUSE CASUALTIES OFTEN.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, YOU KNOW, MARINAS AND COASTAL INSTALLATIONS WILL BE NO SUBJECTED TO A WAVE OF A METER OR 2.

AND THAT CAN CAUSE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE.

SO THAT WOULD BE FOR ME, THE MAIN CONCERN ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR EARTHQUAKE IN TERMS OF HAZARD REPEAT AT A LARGER MAGNITUDE.

ALSO SHALLOW IN THE GULF.

COULD BE A BIG PROBLEM.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EXPERTISE AND SHARING IT WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ITS A PLEASURE.

>> FROM EARTHQUAKES TO HURRICANES AND ALL OTHER FLORIDA BASED NATURAL DISASTERS.

YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALL ENVIRONMENTAL HAPPENINGS BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE WGCU DOT ORG.

COMING UP NEXT, BRINGING SOME PIZZAZZ TO THE EVERGLADES.

AN UPDATE ON ROSEATE SPOONBILL NUMBERS AND BY THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL WAS HUNTED TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION.

THE UNIQUE SPECIES WAS TARGETED MAINLY FOR ITS PLUMAGE AND ESTIMATED TO THE POINT WHERE BY THE 1930'S THERE WERE BELIEVED TO JUST BE 30 BREEDING PAIRS LEFT OF THE BIRDS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

PROTECTIONS WERE PUT IN PLACE AND OVER THE DECADES, THE NUMBERS HAVE REBOUNDED.

WELL, NOW EFFORTS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT A BIRD POPULATION VITAL TO FLORIDA'S COASTAL ECOSYSTEM.

>> FOR MORE ON THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL, WE ARE JOINED BY SEAN.

IT SAYERS.

SHE IS AWAITING BIRD RESEARCH SPECIALIST AT AUDUBON'S EVERGLADES RESEARCH STATION.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

MS AYERS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING.

>> NOW, IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE ROSEATE SPOONBILLS ARE THE ONLY NATIVE SPOONBILL TO FLORIDA.

WHAT MAKES THESE BIRDS SO SPECIAL?

>> YEAH, THEY AS YOU SAID, ARE THE ONLY NATIVE SPINDLE TO FLORIDA AND THE AMERICAS AND UNLIKE MANY OTHER WADING BIRDS, THEY HUNT PRIMARILY THROUGH TECHNICAL TACTICAL FORAGING, WHICH MEANS THEY FEEL AROUND USING THEIR SPIN SHAPE BILL TO FIND FISH AND OTHER PREY SPECIES.

THEY'RE PAYING WHAT EVERYONE LOVES PINK BIRD.

YEAH.

I THINK THEY'RE ONE OF THE MORE RECOGNIZABLE BIRDS IN AMERICA.

AND IT'S JUST ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

WE SEE THEM OUT.

THEN THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

>> BY THE 1930'S, THEY WERE ALMOST HUNTED TO EXTINCTION MAINLY FOR THEIR PLUMAGE.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT EFFORTS WERE MADE NEARLY 100 YEARS AGO THAT HAS INCREASED THEIR NUMBERS.

>> YES, SO SOME CONSERVATION EFFORTS THAT REALLY HELP THEM BENEFIT AND INCREASE THEIR NUMBERS WOULD BE THE MIGRATORY BIRD ACT THAT WAS PASSED IN 1918, PUBLIC DESIGNATED NESTING EFFORTS AND PROTECTIONS FOR THESE BIRDS.

IN KIND OF A CHANGE IN SOCIETAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS WILDLIFE, MORE APPRECIATION.

AND THIS RESEARCH AND OTHER CONSERVATION EFFORTS KIND OF HELP THEM SLOWLY GAIN AND REBOUND AND THEIR POPULATION.

>> A RECENT REPORT FROM FLORIDA BAY SHOWED SOME INCREDIBLE RESULT.

IT MENTIONED THAT THERE'S A 66% SUCCESS RATE IN NESTING AMONG 22 ACTIVE COLONIES.

THAT IS THAT'S REMARKABLE.

HOW HAS THAT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED?

>> YES, SO THIS YEAR WE HAD A REALLY GREAT TEAM.

WE HAD A LOT OF EFFORT OUT THERE GOING OUT EVERY 7 TO 10 DAYS TO CHECK UP ON THE NEST THAT WE WERE MONITORING AN FROM THERE.

WE WOULD FOLLOW THOSE TICKS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AND SEE IF THEY EVENTUALLY GET TO FLEDGING, WHICH IF AT LEAST ONE CHICK FROM EACH NEST MAKES IT, THEN THAT IS CONSIDERED A SUCCESS.

AND SO WE HAD OVERALL 244 NECESSARY MONITORING AND 239, WE WERE ABLE TO DECIPHER WHETHER THE NEST WAS SUCCESSFUL OR A FAILURE.

AND FROM THAT, WE GOT OUR 66% SUCCESS RATE.

>> THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY IS FIRST DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH ROBERT PORTER.

ALLEN HAD TO FIND UNIQUE WAYS TO STUDY THESE BIRDS.

AND I UNDERSTAND HE SPENT WEEKS IN A TENT AMONG THEIR COLONIES.

HOW HAS THAT APPROACH CHANGED AND EVOLVED INTO HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO TRACK AND RECORD THE SPECIES TODAY?

YEAH, ROBERT PORTER, ALLEN.

>> YOU GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT.

I CAN'T IMAGINE SLEEPING WITH THE MOSQUITOES OUT THERE.

BUT YEAH, HE DID A LOT FOR MONITORING BIRDS IN GENERAL.

WE DO SIMILAR YET DIFFERENT IN THAT.

WE DON'T CAMP OUT THERE, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING OUT ON THE GROUND AND SEARCHING FOR THESE NEST AND GETTING IN THE MANGROVES CRAWLING AROUND.

SO IT IS VERY SIMILAR.

BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER TACTICS THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO SUCH AS GPS TRACKING TO MONITOR THEIR NORTHWARD MOVEMENT.

>> BESIDES CHECKING NUMBERS, WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM THE RESEARCH OF BIRDS LIKE THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL?

AS FAR AS HOW THEY PROVIDE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ECOSYSTEM.

>> BRUISES BEEN VOLS ARE AN INDICATOR SPECIES, WHICH CAN TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HEALTH OF IT SURROUNDING ECOSYSTEM.

THE EVERGLADES IS A VERY COMPLEX SYSTEM.

SO WE WROTE IT SPOONBILLS TO MONITOR ITS HEALTH.

ROSIE HAS BEEN BILLS DEPEND ON SPECIFIC WATER HEIGHTS THAT HAVE PREFERENCE CONCENTRATION THAT ALLOW THEM TO FORAGE AND FEED THEIR CHICKS.

SO BY MEASURING THEIR NESTING SUCCESS, WE CAN SEE THE FLOW DOWN OF THE WATER FROM THE EVERGLADES IS AT A BASIS THAT CAN ALLOW FOR SOME AQUATIC VEGETATION AND CRAYFISH CONCENTRATION.

SO KIND OF IN THE SIMPLER TERM.

IF THE SPOONBILLS ARE DOING WELL, THEN THERE'S PROBABLY SOMETHING ELSE IN THE EVERGLADES ECOSYSTEM THAT IS NOT.

>> NOW, IF ANYONE LIVES NEAR A SPOONBILL NAST, IS THERE ANYTHING THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF TO HELP KEEP THE SPECIES DOING?

WELL?

>> ALWAYS GIVE THEM SOME SPACE.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF PERSONALITY AND THEY'RE VERY FUN TO WATCH.

BUT MAKE SURE YOU DO SO FROM A DISTANCE AND GIVE THEM THE PROPER TIME AND SPACE THAT THEY NEED TO FORAGE AND RAISE THEIR YOUNG.

WE ALSO HAVE A LONG-TERM BANDING PROGRAM.

SO IF YOU EVER SEE IS BEEN BILL WITH A COLD LAKE BAND.

TAKE A PICTURE AND MAKE SURE TO REPORT IT THROUGH OUR GOOGLE FORM AND YOU ALSO RECEIVE A LIMITED EDITIONS, BENTONVILLE STICKER IN THE MAIL.

>> WHERE CAN PEOPLE GO TO FIND MORE ABOUT ROSEATE SPOONBILLS AND AUDUBON FLORIDA.

>> YES, GO TO THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY WEBSITE SPECIFICALLY AUDUBON, FLORIDA ROSEATE SPOONBILLS AND YOU'LL FIND THE LINK THERE.

>> WELL, YOUR WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME TODAY TO SPEAK WITH US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> ACCORDING TO THE AUDUBON SOCIETY, YOUNG, THE SPOONBILLS MAY LEAVE THE NEST AFTER 5 TO 6 WEEKS AND THEY'RE CAPABLE OF STRONG FLIGHT AT ROUGHLY 7 TO 8 WEEKS FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WILDLIFE AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COVERAGE.

MAKE SURE TO VISIT WGCU DOT ORG.

A MOTHER OF TRIPLETS.

GIRLS HAS GONE FROM PRACTICING LAW IN HER NATIVE COUNTRY TO TAKING ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT JOBS AFTER MOVING HER FAMILY TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

HER 3 DAUGHTERS ARE NOW HEADING OFF TO COLLEGE ON FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIPS.

THE COLLIER COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION PLAYED A LARGE PART IN THEIR SUCCESS.

WGCUS DANA HARPSTER INTRODUCES US TO DANA HARPSTER INTRODUCES US TO THE FAMILY AND THEIR STORY THAT BEGAN IN SOUTH AMERICA.

>> ONLY A FEW MINUTES AT BIRTH.

SEPARATE 3 YOUNG WOMEN NAME MARIA.

THEY ARE TRIPLETS AND EACH GOES BY THERE FIRST AND MIDDLE NAMES.

THE ARMORY, A DAISY AREA AND I'M MARIA CRISTINA DEMAND OF OUR DATA AND THEY CAME TO THE UNITED STATES WITH THEIR MOTHER FROM BOLIVIA WHEN THEY WERE 8 YEARS OLD.

IT WAS AN EASY THEY KNEW NO ENGLISH AND SLEPT ON MATTRESSES IN A RELATIVE'S NAPLES GARAGE FOR A WHILE.

THEIR MOTHER, A LAWYER IN BOLIVIA WAS NOT CERTIFIED TO PRACTICE IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO SHE BEGAN CLEANING HOUSES.

TODAY.

SHE IS A GUEST TEACHER FOR COLLIER COUNTY SCHOOLS AND HER DAUGHTERS.

ALL 3 OF THEM HAVE FULL-RIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO COLLEGE.

THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO CHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE COLLIER COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR HELPING WITH COACHING MENTORSHIP AND OPPORTUNITIES THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD.

THEY EACH INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND EXPLAIN.

>> HELLO, MY NAME IS MUDDY OF A C AND F IS FOR LEARNING.

HELP ME GET A FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP TO JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY THROUGH THE WEST RIDGE MATCH SCHOLARSHIP AWARD.

TO ME, IT WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IT HAS ALLOWED ME TO PURSUE MY DREAMS.

I PLAN TO BECOME AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST AND EVENTUALLY WORK FOR NOAH.

AND MY HOUSE.

MY COLLEGE CAREER GOALS ARE TO GROW AS A PERSON MOLD.

MY PASSION FOR A SIGN-IN TO PURPOSEFUL RESEARCH SKILL.

AND MY NAME IS MY NAME IS NEW.

AND I WILL BE A 10 YEAR US IN THE FLORIDA SUN COLLEGE WITH A FULL RIDE TO GET MY MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM IN ARCHITECTURE.

AND TEMPLES WILL LEARNING HISTORY MADE THE WHOLE OCCASION PROCESS AND THE HIGH SCHOOL CAREER EXPERIENCE TRULY WONDERFUL AND NOT ALL OVERWHELMING BECAUSE IT DOES SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THAT.

WHATEVER.

FOR GENERATIONS TO DONE AND IMMIGRANT COMES TO UNITED STATES.

I'M TRULY THANKFUL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THEY GAVE ME MY SISTERS AND MY MOM AND I'M TRULY TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF PROGRAM.

>> AS YOU CAN HEAR, THEY HAVE BIG PLANS.

>> HELLO, MY NAME IS MUD.

YOU CAN SEE THAT A NEW ATTACK.

SO A TEMPEST LEARNING HAS TO BE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY HAS TO BE BLESSED ME HAS NOT ONLY GUIDED ME THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL USE OF THE CAUSE PROCESS BUT ALSO OWN IS IT WORK PUTTING FOR MY CAREER, MY FUTURE CAREER.

I PLAN TO PURSUE A MAJOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

STUDYING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND ADN BECAUSE EITHER HUMAN RIGHTS ABACUS WORKING THE UNITED BECOME THE PERSON IN THE NIE STATES.

>> THE TRIPLETS RECENTLY WHERE AMONG 77 GRADUATING SENIORS HONORED BY CHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING AT ITS COUNTDOWN TO CAP AND GOWN CEREMONY AT ALICO ARENA.

AS EACH WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE, INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THE COLLEGE THEY WOULD ATTEND PARENTS AND FRIENDS BEAMED.

AND LATER TOOK PICTURES.

WE RECENTLY MET WITH THE TRIPLETS IN THE WGCU STUDIO WHERE THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR JOURNEY TO A NEW COUNTRY ABOUT CHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING AND WHAT THAT HAS MEANT IN THEIR LIVES.

AND WE ARE HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH TRIPLETS.

THEIR NAMES ARE DELAND OF OUR AT.

A WE HAVE MARIA INES, MARIA DAISY AND MARIA.

CRISTINA.

AND THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY LEARNED BY BEING PART OF CHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING, WHICH IS ALSO THE COLLIER COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION, WHICH ENABLED THEM TO BECOME SCHOLARS BASICALLY AND GO TO DIFFERENT COLLEGES FOR DIFFERENT REASONS BEING TRIPLETS.

IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING THAT YOU HAVE BUYER DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

THEY'RE ALSO FROM BOLIVIA AND CAME HERE WHEN THEY WERE 8 YEARS OLD.

SO LET'S EXPLORE THAT IDEA.

WHAT BROUGHT TO HEAR WHEN YOU'RE SO YOUNG.

>> SO YES, WE CAN SEE THE UNITED STATES FROM SANTA CRUZ, BOLIVIA.

WE WERE 8.

IT'S A CENTER TURN 9 AND THE MAIN REASON WHY WE DID SO WAS BECAUSE BELIEVE IT WAS A COUNTRY WHO WAS A LITTLE UNSTABLE AT THE TIME.

AND SO ALONGSIDE HER MOM, WE CAME WITH THEIR THAT THE REST OF THE UNITED IN HOPES OF CHASING MUCH PEER DREAMS IN.

I'M MUCH MORE STABLE FUTURE WHERE WE COULD EAT.

SEEK OUR RESPECTIVE GROWING TO MORE BETTER PEOPLE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.

>> YOU ALL HAD THE SAME MENTOR.

YES TO WHETHER ANY OF THE WORLD THROUGH US HERE AT I WITH 2.

SO MUCH LUCK TO YOU.

AND YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE.

THANK YOU.

IT'S BEEN A HUGE PLEASURE TO GET TO KNOW.

YOU WANT TO TALK TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

TO REFER TO NUTTY TO SEE SO MUCH.

>> COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, PERFECTING THE LOST ART OF CURSIVE, WRITING, WE HEAR WHAT BOTH KIDS AND TEACHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT A NEW LAW FOCUSING ON THE CURSE WORD.

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS RECENTLY SIGNED A SWEEPING EDUCATION LAW.

IT INCLUDES A MANDATE THAT STUDENTS MUST DEMONSTRATE PROFICIENCY IN READING AND WRITE IN CURSIVE BY THE END OF 5TH GRADE.

WGCU REPORTER YOUN JOO PARK EXPLORES THE CURRENT STATE OF CURSIVE AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN EDUCATION.

>> BASED ON NEW LEGISLATION SIGNED BY GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, STUDENTS IN 3RD THROUGH 5TH GRADES ACROSS ALL FLORIDA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST SHOW MASTERY IN CURSIVE, WRITING, YES, CURSIVE WRITING IS BACK STARTING THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND BY THE LOOKS OF IT, YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT SOME KIDS HAD SEEN A DINOSAUR.

PROBABLY INFILL LOT.

>> FOR ME, IT TAKES TOO LONG AS LIGHT LOOKS AND IT TAKES LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS.

>> OTHERS ARE READY TO TACKLE THIS CHALLENGE.

>> I SAY IT'S NEXT.

>> AND THE CURSE OF WRITING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STAPLE IN VANESSA MS AUGUST, 3RD GRADE CLASSROOM IN THE COUNTY'S ALVA SCHOOLS.

SHE EXPLAINS THAT.

ALTHOUGH CURSIVE WRITING STRIKES, FEAR IN THE HEARTS OF STUDENTS, SHE HAS A SYSTEM IN PLACE.

>> WE START WITH TRACING THE LETTERS AND THEN THEY START WITH WRITING THE LETTERS ON THEIR OWN.

WE'LL USE PLATO AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF MODELING CLAY FOR THEM TO WORK THE HAND MUSCLES TO GET THEM STRONGER AND THEY'LL USE THAT TO ALSO FORM LETTERS ON THEIR DESK IS A PART OF LATE MORNING WORK ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN PRACTICING IT ENOUGH, WE'LL START COPYING SENTENCES DOWN.

AND USUALLY THE SENTENCE IS OUR FUN.

WELL, OUR SUMMIT GROWTH FACTS THAT THE KIDS REALLY FIND FUNNY AND THE MORNING TO COPY DOWN.

>> IN HER YEARS OF TEACHING IS ON US AS BUILDING UP STUDENTS, TACTILE STAMINA, LISA FOUNDATION FOR WRITING SUCCESS.

WHEN YOU'RE ON AN IPAD OR PHONE OR A TABLET.

>> AND YOU'RE JUST SCROLLING ON THERE.

YOU'RE NOT USING THE SAME TYPES OF MUSCLES IN YOUR HAND.

SO A LOT OF KIDS BECOME VERY FATIGUED WITH ACTUAL HANDWRITING.

SO THEY BUILDING UP THEIR MUSCLES.

THAT REALLY HELPS THEM TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT WITH IT.

>> THE NEW FLORIDA LAW REQUIRES THAT ALL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOLLOW THIS MANDATE.

CURSIVE WRITING HAS BEEN RESUSCITATED FROM 2010 WHEN IT WAS DROPPED AS PART OF THE NATIONAL COMMON CORE STANDARDS, THE CURRICULUM GAP FOR OVER A DECADE HAS LED CURSIVE WRITING TO FALL BY THE WAYSIDE NATIONALLY.

IT'S 10 DURING ROUTINE TASKS SUCH AS SIGNING FORMS AND CHECKS.

ACCORDING TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, CHILLY TOM SIC.

SHE SAYS ANOTHER HURDLE IS ASKED.

SOME PARENTS DON'T HAVE CURSIVE WRITING SKILLS THEMSELVES.

WHEN I TAUGHT PRESCHOOL BACK IN GEORGIA, I HAD A LOT OF PARENTS THAT THEY WOULD, BUT IT'S A PARENT'S SIGNATURE.

THEY WILL PUT THEIR NAME BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE SIGNATURE CAUSE.

THE CAN CURSE OF.

THIS KNOWLEDGE.

DEFICIT IS EVIDENT TO ACTIVISTS LIKE VICTORIA JONES WHO STARTED OF CURSIVE, WRITING CLASS AT THE FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY, SPECIFICALLY TO COUNTER A WORRISOME TREND AMONG BUDDING RESEARCHERS.

>> EVEN DOCUMENTS THAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE QUITE CLEAN.

WELL WRITTEN IN CURSIVE DOCUMENTS A DECADE AGO, EVERY STUDENT IN THE CLASSROOM FOR MOST STUDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO RE IT.

PRETTY SIMPLY.

ISN'T THERE A READING TYPEWRITTEN DOCUMENT AND NOW?

BUT THERE'S A VISIBLE STRUGGLE.

JONES SAYS THE CONTINUED PRESERVATION OF AMERICAN HISTORY.

>> DEPENDS ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF CURSIVE WRITING.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN AMERICAN HISTORY, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO READ CURSIVE LIKE ENGLISH CURSIVE SCRIPT.

>> MOST CORRESPONDENTS, EVEN OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, LETTERS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS OR INCREASE IT UP.

AND THROUGH THE 1980'S 90'S, EVEN EARLY 2, THOUSANDS.

>> SO IF YOU CAN'T READ CURSIVE, YOU'RE KIND OF CREATE E THERE'S A BARRIER.

THEN TO ACCESSING THAT IT MAY SHUN.

>> ARCHIVISTS ARE BEGINNING TO TRANSCRIBE HANDWRITTEN HISTORICAL MATERIALS.

BUT GIVEN THE EXTENT AND SCOPE OF COLLECTIONS, THIS IS NATURALLY A GLACIAL UNDERTAKING DUE TO A HERCULEAN RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR TRANSCRIPTIONS IN CONTRAST TO WORKAROUNDS FOR SOCIETY'S LACK OF CURSIVE, WRITING KNOWLEDGE, TOM 6 AS THE BUILDUP OF THE SCALE WITH SAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES EASIER.

>> I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW LONG IT TAKES TO PRINT LETTERS AND TO LEARN CURSIVE.

AND YOU COULD SEE HOW MUCH FASTER RIGHT THERE.

AND WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO STUDY THE MENSA, LIZ, MUCH TEACHING CURSIVE WRITING IN GREAT SCHOOLS MEANS THAT KIDS CAN GET AN EARLY START TO DEVELOPING LONG-RANGE CIVIC SKILLS FOR WGCU NEWS.

I'M YOUN JOOPARK.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TO MAKE SURE YOU VISIT WGCU DOT ORG, WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES AND MUCH MORE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUSED.