THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

COMING UP, A NEW ENDEAVOR INTO TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE NEW INSTITUTE BEING BUILT IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WITH A GOAL OF GRADUATING HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS EACH YEAR, THEY'LL HELP TO FILL THE GAPS OF CRITICAL FOR AGE WHERE WORKERS ARE NEEDED.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES.

THIS SHOREBIRD AS RETURN BY THE SANIBEL CAUSEWAY.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE BLACK SKIMMER NEST AND HOW THE REBUILD CAUSEWAY IS BRINGING CERTAIN WORDS BACK TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND AN EXHIBIT THAT'S NOW ON DISPLAY IN THIS AREA AFTER COVERING MORE THAN 1000 MILES ON THE ROAD.

AND REQUIRING HALF A MILE OF BUBBLE WRAP TO MAKE SURE IT ARRIVED SAFELY IN AT HIS DESTINATION.

HELLO, EVERYONE.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

I'M MIKE WALTER.

A THREE-YEAR EFFORT IS ABOUT TO BLOOM ON PINE RIDGE ROAD IN FORT MYERS, LESS THAN A MILE FROM HARLEM HEIGHTS.

WE'RE THE SEED WAS FIRST PLANTED AT FIRST.

IT WAS JUST ENVISION FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

BUT THE HARLEM HEIGHTS, CAREER TECH INSTITUTE WILL SERVE THE ENTIRE SOUTHWEST BORDER REGION BEGINNING AUGUST 5TH WGCL REPORTER DANA HARPSTER AND VIDEOGRAPHER A MEN DIDN'T SCORE WITH A MORE RECENTLY TOWARD THE BUILDING.

THAT'S MORE THAN 63,000 SQUARE FEET TO CHECK OUT THE PROGRESS.

>> A MAN LOOKS WERE BEEPING IN SIZE GRINDING AS WORKERS BUILD CABINETS AND WERE BUSY FINISHING THE CENTER.

HARLEM HEIGHTS FOUNDATION CEO KATHERINE KELLY LED A HARD HAT TOUR.

DO A NEW 42 MILLION DOLLAR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.

>> WE'RE GOING TO START IN YEAR ONE WITH THIS WELDING LAB AND YOU CAN PEEK BEHIND THERE BECAUSE THOSE ARE REALLY PULL.

THOSE ARE ALL THE WELDING BOOTHS.

THE GOAL IS TO TURN OUT WORKERS AND 12 TRADE OCCUPATIONS WHEN FULLY STAFFED SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.

>> CLASSES IN SOME DISCIPLINES WILL START IN A LITTLE LESS THAN A MONTH WHEN THE BUILDING IS COMPLETE.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO ALSO BE IN A GOOD SPOT IN SOUTH FORT MYERS.

>> CLOSE TO THE ISLANDS WHERE WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

>> YOU KNOW, HURRICANE IAN SHINED A BIG LIGHT ON OUR NEED FOR TRADES PEOPLE.

AND SO WE'RE FOCUSED ON THAT.

BUT THEN ALSO, OUR WHOLE SECOND FLOOR IS DEDICATED TO HEALTH CARE.

WE HAVE A WHOLE HEALTHCARE WEIGHING ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

THAT IS THAT MIMICS A ACTUAL A HOSPITAL WING SO THAT WE CAN HELP FILL IN THE GAP WITH HEALTH CARE.

THAT WAS ANOTHER HUGE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> PLENTY OF RESEARCH LED TO THIS MOMENT.

>> WHEN WE WERE CONTEMPLATING THE SCHOOL, WE DID ABOUT A YEAR OF RESEARCH.

AGAIN, LOOKING AT WHAT'S BEING TAUGHT ALREADY WHERE THE WAITING LISTS ARE.

AND WE WORK WITH JOHN TOWN MUCH WITH THE LEE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE FOR JOB GROWTH.

PROJECTIONS AND DID THIS VERY ELABORATE SPREADSHEET AND THROUGH THAT MATRIX, THAT'S WHAT DECIDED THE DISCIPLINES THAT WE WOULD TEACH HERE BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE BIG GAPS THAT WE WANTED TO HELP FILL.

>> STUDENTS WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE LEARNING TO COMPETE IN A NUMBER OF FIELDS SUCH AS AUTOMOTIVE IN MARINE ENGINE REPAIR, ELECTRICAL PLUMBING, HVAC, WELDING AND A NUMBER OF MEDICAL FIELDS.

IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT MORE THAN 500 STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE EACH YEAR.

WE ALSO DESIGNED THIS TO MIMIC A CAR DEALERSHIP SERVICE AREA.

SO THE STUDENTS GET USED TO WORKING IN THAT KIND OF ADVICE.

>> AND SO FAR, >> MUCH OF THE MONEY HAS COME FROM PRIVATE DONATIONS.

KELLY SAID.

>> BUT REVENUE COMES FROM OTHER SOURCES AS WELL.

WE HAVE RECEIVED STATE FUNDING.

>> FROM THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET FOR 2 YEARS IN A ROW WHICH ARE REAL HAPPY ABOUT.

>> AND THEN WE JUST WROTE A VERY LARGE GRANT FOR FEDERAL FUNDS FOR NEW MARKETS, TAX CREDITS.

AND WE WERE JUST APPROVED FOR THAT FUNDING AS WELL.

>> THE COST TO STUDENTS WILL BE LOW AS A STATE CHARTER SCHOOL AND EVENTUALLY PART OF THE LEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HEIGHTS.

CAREER TECH CANNOT CHARGE MORE THAN $2 AND $0.92 PER CREDIT HOUR PER STUDENT.

>> SO ARE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE WILL COST $8,000 FOR A YEAR, WHICH IS ONE 4TH OR 5TH OF WHAT IT WOULD COST THEM IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

>> THE HARLEM HEIGHTS FOUNDATION HAS COME A LONG WAY FROM ITS INITIAL BIRTH IN A BUILDING OWNED BY THE LEE COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

26 YEARS AGO, IT GREW UP INTO A 13,000 SQUARE-FOOT COMMUNITY CENTER.

THEN IT STARTED A CHARTER SCHOOL AND INHERITED AN EARLY LEARNING CENTER.

SO IT BUILT A 3 STORY BUILDING AND WHAT'S NOW A FULL CAMPUS.

AND NOW NEARBY, THE CAREER TECH CENTER.

>> I WOULD NEVER IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD BE DOING THIS, BUT IT REALLY WAS THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP.

ONCE WE GOT ON THIS PATH, IT'S LIKE, WELL, OF COURSE, WE WOULD DO THAT.

WHY NOT?

BECAUSE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA NEEDS THAT OUR KIDS AND OUR I NEEDED.

AND IT'S JUST A GOOD THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

>> FOR WGC NEWS HARPSTER.

>> ALSO ON THE EDUCATION FRONT, AN APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS AN INJUNCTION ON FLORIDA STATE LAW ABOUT HOW RACE AND GENDER TOPICS CAN BE TAUGHT IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES OF THE 3 APPELLATE JUDGES TO RULE THE FLORIDA LAW ORIGINALLY CALLED THE INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM ACT PASSED IN 2022.

OVERSTEPPED THE U.S.

CONSTITUTION AND ALSO VIOLATED THE FIRST AMENDMENT WHEN THE LAW WAS PASSED BY THE FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATURE IN 22, IT WAS ALSO KNOWN AS THE STOP WOKE A LOT.

IT WAS IMMEDIATELY HIT WITH LAWSUITS AND HAS BEEN ON HOLD OVER SENSE ONE OF THE JUDGES WHO WAS APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, QUOTE, IF THE FIRST AMENDMENT OFFERS ANY BOUNDARY OF PROTECTION AT ALL FOR PUBLIC UNIVERSITY CLASSROOMS.

THIS STATUTE CROSS IS THAT END QUOTE IN RESPONSE TO THE COURT OF APPEALS RULING ANDREW SPAR.

PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RELEASED THIS TAPE UP.

SPOHR SAID FOR TOO LONG IDEAS AND CONCEPTS THAT ENCOURAGE CRITICAL THINKING WERE BLOCKED SIMPLY BECAUSE SOME FLORIDA LEADERS DID NOT AGREE THIS RULING IS CLEAR.

YOU CANNOT LIMIT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY SAY.

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS HAS NOT YET COMMENTED ON THE APPEALS COURT RULING.

HOWEVER, STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL JAMES UTHMEIER PRAISED THE JUDGE WHO WROTE THE DISSENT ON THAT RULING SAYING THAT SHE MAY BE THE BEST JURIST IN AMERICA.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL STORIES AND THEIR IMPACTS ACROSS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BY VISITING WGC.

YOU DOT ORG.

CHILDREN AREN'T THE ONLY ONES WHO RECEIVE GRADES WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR WINDS DOWN.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS RECENTLY RECEIVED THEIR REPORT CARDS FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND PERHAPS NONE ARE HAPPIER THAN THE STAFF IN GLADES COUNTY WGCL REPORTER EILEEN KELLEY TELLS US WHY.

>> FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN THE GLADES COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO WHAT MANY THOUGHT WAS UNIMAGINABLE IN A DISADVANTAGED IN RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THEY WERE NAMED AT GRADE A SCHOOL BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE GRADED IN THE STATE IN RIGOROUS A TO F GRADING SYSTEM THAT USES POINTS TO MEASURE STUDENT PERFORMANCE GRADUATION RATES, COLLEGE AND CAREER ACCELERATION AS WELL AS OVERALL ACADEMIC, PROGRESS OF STRUGGLING STUDENTS.

PLAYED.

SUPERINTENDENT BETH BARFIELD SAYS SHE'S DETERMINED TO KEEP THAT FOR YEARS TO COME.

SHE SAID THAT WHILE THE DISTRICT IS HONORED TO THE RECOGNITION, WHAT REALLY MATTERS MOST IS THAT IT REPRESENTS CHILDREN WHO WORK SO VERY HARD.

EDUCATORS WHO REFUSE TO SETTLE FAMILIES WHO BELIEVE IN SCHOOLS AND A COMMUNITY THAT IS ALWAYS INVESTING IN ITS FUTURE.

AND IF GLADES DOES KEEP RATING FOR YEARS TO COME, IT COULD JOIN COLLIER AND SARASOTA COUNTIES ESPER AND MILLEY, A RATED SCHOOL DISTRICT NEW AT THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AREA CONTINUED ARE IN SUCH HIGH MARKS YEAR AFTER YEAR.

HENDRY LEE IN MANATEE SCHOOL DISTRICTS REMAINED BE RATED SCHOOLS, OKEECHOBEE AND DESOTO COUNTIES CONTINUE TO HOLD A C RANKING OVER LAST YEAR.

WGC NEWS.

THIS IS EILEEN KELLEY.

>> GLADES COUNTY WAS NOT THE ONLY DISTRICT RECEIVING THOSE ANNUAL GREAT GUARDS WHO USE DATA HARPSTER COVERS EDUCATION IN THE COASTAL COUNTIES HAS NEWS ON GRANGE FROM A TRIO OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DISTRICTS.

>> THIS YEAR.

>> CHARLOTTE COUNTY JOINED COLLIER AND SARASOTA TO ACHIEVE AN A RATING.

>> CHARLOTTE CAME UP FROM THE LAST YEAR.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT MARK THE ANELLO IN A LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY STRESSED THAT THE DISTRICT HAD INCREASED ITS OVERALL ACCOUNTABILITY BY 39 POINTS AND WAS NAMED AMONG FLORIDA'S TOP 16, FASTEST IMPROVING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AMONG OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THE RECENT SCHOOL YEAR.

KYLE, YOU SUPERINTENDENT LESLI RECORD.

ALI POINTED OUT THAT AMONG FLORIDA DISTRICTS ONLY ONE DISTRICT LARGER ARE COMPARABLE IN STUDENT POPULATION SCORED HIGHER THAN COLLIER AND NO DISTRICT WITH A COMPARABLE PERCENTAGE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS SCORED AS HIGH GRADES ARE GIVEN FOR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AS WELL AS THEIR DISTRICTS.

LEE COUNTY REMAIN TO BE RATED DISTRICT IN A NEWS RELEASE.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LEE COUNTY SAID IT EARNED ITS HIGHEST POINT TOTAL IN A DECADE.

IN ADDITION, 29 SCHOOLS IMPROVE THEIR LETTER.

GREAT OVER THE 2024 2025 SCHOOL YEAR.

NONE OF THE COASTAL DISTRICTS CAME DOWN IN THEIR RATINGS OVER THE PRECEDING YEAR.

SO IT SEEMS THEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE WHEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS COME BACK NEXT MONTH FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

THIS IS DANA HERBSTER.

>> AND COMING UP, THE CDC REPORTS THE CASE OF A PARASITE, INCLUDING CASES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND PAST CASES HAVE BEEN LINKED TO FRESH PRODUCE.

HUNDREDS OF AMATEUR BURMESE PYTHON HUNTERS AND EVEN A FEW PROFESSIONALS ARE GETTING READY FOR THE ANNUAL FLORIDA PYTHON CHALLENGE.

YES, THERE IS MORE TO IT, THOUGH, THAN JUST GETTING RID OF HUNDREDS OF INVASIVE AND DAMAGING SPECIES FROM THE EVERGLADES.

THERE'S ALSO A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY UP FOR GRABS WHEN IT COMES TO THE ULTIMATE GRAND PRIZE AS WELL AS PRIZES AWARDED AND THE PROFESSIONAL, THE NOVICE AND THE MILITARY CATEGORIES.

WJC USE CAKE RODENT, SPOKE WITH OUR SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER TOM BAYLISS FOR A LOOK AT WHY IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT THE MONEY BUT ALSO MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF INVASIVE SPECIES.

>> SO, TOM, IF THE ANNUAL PYTHON HUNT IS NOT DESIGNED TO HELP CLEAR THE EVERGLADES OF THE SOMETIMES MASSIVE SNAKES, WHAT ELSE TO ITS ORGANIZERS HOPE IT WILL ACCOMPLISH.

COULD EVEN CAKE.

>> AS MOST KNOW, THE BURMESE PYTHON DOES NOT BELONG IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES.

FLORIDA EVERGLADES.

THE ORIGIN STORIES ARE MIXED, BUT MOST LIKELY THE WAY THE APEX PREDATOR GOT LOOSE IS A MIX OF BEING RELEASED INTO THE RIVER OF GRASS BY EXOTIC PET ENTHUSIASTS WHO COULD NO LONGER CARE FOR THE VORACIOUS SNAKES, WHICH CAN REACH 20 FEET OR LONGER AND OTHERS GOT LOOSE.

ONE CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE ANDREW FLATTENED THE GREATER MIAMI REGION IN 1992.

ON FRIDAY.

AND JUST ONE MINUTE INTO THE DAY, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WILL VENTURE INTO THE EVERGLADES TO CAPTURE AND KILL AS MANY OF THE APEX PREDATORS AS POSSIBLE.

AND WITH THE STATE'S BLESSING.

THE U.S.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ASSESSMENT SAYS WIPING OUT THE SNAKES ENTIRELY IS IMPOSSIBLE.

BUT THE PYTHON CHALLENGE KEEPS THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION ON A PROBLEM THAT OTHERWISE MAKES HEADLINES EVERY TIME.

YET ANOTHER HEAVIEST OR LONGEST BURMESE PYTHON IS CAUGHT IN THE EVERGLADES.

THE TOP PRIZE IN THIS YEAR'S FLORIDA PYTHON CHALLENGE IS $10,000 FOR THE HUNTER WHO BAGS THE MOST.

THIS YEAR'S PYTHON HUNT CONTINUES FOR 10 DAYS.

THE FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION SAYS THE EVENT HAS REMOVED MORE THAN 23,000 BURMESE PYTHONS FROM THE EVERGLADES SINCE 2000.

HOWEVER, ESTIMATES OF THEIR POPULATION ARE IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS.

THOSE WANTING TO TAKE PART MUST REGISTER AND COMPLETE AN ONLINE TRAINING COURSE.

REGISTRATION CONTINUES DURING THE HUNT.

>> AND WE'RE MOVING FROM HUNTING THOSE SNAKES ON THE GROUND.

JUST TURNING OUR EYES TO THE SKY.

YOU'RE SAYING WE ALSO HAVE SOME DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON AT THE SANIBEL CAUSEWAY.

KEY.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

SURE.

CAN.

>> THE BRIDGE TO SANIBEL AND CAPTIVA ISLANDS WAS DEMOLISHED DURING HURRICANE IAN IN 2022, IT WAS QUITE AMAZING TO SEE SUCH A MASSIVE STRUCTURE MISSING ENTIRE SECTIONS.

THEY WERE GONE WASHED AWAY DURING WINDS THAT EASILY TOPPED MORE THAN 100 MILES PER HOUR.

THAT AND STORM SURGE OF UP TO 18 FEET.

DID IT IN.

THE STATE CAME IN QUICKLY AND REBUILT ENOUGH OF THE ROADWAY TO OPEN IN VERY SHORT ORDER AND NOW THIS SUMMER'S SHOREBIRD NESTING SEASON BROUGHT A SURPRISE NOT SEEN IN DECADES A BLACK SKIMMER CHICK HATCHED ON SANIBEL CAUSEWAY.

THE LAST TIME A BLACK SKIMMER CHECK HATCHED ON SANIBEL CAUSEWAY WAS ROUGHLY THE SAME YEAR.

THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE WAS SENT INTO ORBIT ABOARD THE SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY.

THE SANIBEL CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION'S VOLUNTEER SHOREBIRD TEAM FOUND THE NEST AND PHOTOGRAPHED TO CHECK POKING OUT FROM UNDER THE BLACK AND WHITE BIRD WITH THE DISTINCTIVE ORANGE BEAK.

A BLACK SKIMMER IS BEST KNOWN FOR ITS MAJESTY WHEN SEARCHING FOR FOOD GLIDING ON A CUSHION OF AIR TRAPPED BENEATH ITS WINGS.

IT'S PLAYED LIKE BILL JUST TOUCHING THE SURFACE, COLLECTING FISH.

IN FACT, SANIBEL CAUSEWAY HAS BECOME A CRITICAL SHOREBIRD REFUGE WITH MORE THAN 80 LEAST TURN AND 15 BLACK SKIMMER NEST DISCOVERED ON THE SANDY PORTIONS OF THE CAUSEWAY.

THOSE WHO WATCH OVER THE WILDLIFE ON SANIBEL SAY THE REASON FOR THE MIGRATION TO THE RELATIVE SAFETY OF THE CAUSEWAY ISLAND IS MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE INCREASING POPULATION OF COYOTES ON SANIBEL, READING THEIR NESTS.

>> TOM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE UPDATE.

US.

AND YOU CAN READ MORE OF TOM BAYLISS IS ENVIRONMENTAL COVERAGE BY VISITING WGC.

YOU DOT ORG.

>> AND HERE'S A BIT MORE ABOUT THE BLACK SKIMMER.

IT IS CONSIDERED A STATE DESIGNATED THREATENED SPECIES.

THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION SAYS ARE GROWN BLACK SKIMMER CAN REACH A HEIGHT OF NEARLY 20 INCHES TALL WITH A WINGSPAN UP TO 3 AND A HALF FEET.

THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL SAYS IT RECEIVED REPORTS OF 145 CASES OF AN INTESTINAL INFECTION KNOWN AS CYCLONE.

SPURIOUS U.S.

SINCE THE FIRST OF MAY.

AND THAT MORE THAN 30% OF THOSE CASES ARE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA OF THE CASES IDENTIFIED WITHIN OUR STATE.

THE MOST HAVE COME IN LEE COUNTY.

THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS IT'S IDENTIFIED 8 CASES IN LEE, THE CDC SAYS THIS INFECTION IS CAUSED BY A MICRO PARASITE.

IT CAN BE ACQUIRED BY EATING OR DRINKING CONTAMINATED FOOD OR WATER.

AND THAT FOODBORNE OUTBREAKS ARE THOSE OUTBREAKS IN THE U.S.

HAVE BEEN LINKED TO THE CONSUMPTION OFTEN OF FRESH PRODUCE SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE DIARRHEA, LOSS OF APPETITE, WEIGHT-LOSS CRAMPING, BLOATING.

THE CDC SAYS 20 PEOPLE HAVE ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL DUE TO THIS INFECTION.

WELL, YOU'LL FIND MORE INFORMATION FROM THE CDC AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ON THIS INFECTION.

AS WE TRACK THE NUMBERS IN OUR STATE, YOU CAN FIND THAT STORY BY VISITING WGC.

YOU DOT ORG.

>> COMING UP, THERE'S A NEW DISPLAY THAT'S JUST 2 FLOORS, HIGH AND HAS AN AMAZING STORY ABOUT ITS JOURNEY.

BEFORE FINALLY SETTLING HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

An exhibit featuring a mural that spans two floors of the Sarasota Art Museum and uses a rather unique material, has been open for several months in Sarasota.

Tom Hall joins us now to tell us more.

This artist uses China plates to create this masterpiece.

She does?

Yeah.

Jennifer.

She comes from a family in which ceramic plates have been handed down from generation to generation.

She learned early on that young viewers aren't terribly interested in looking at other people's China or spoon sets in museums or art centers.

So about 20 years ago, she had a breakthrough and decided to paint murals with China plates.

The result is amalgam at the Sarasota Art Museum, and the museum's director, Virginia Shear, explains.

She designed a work of art for us that has all the little elements of all of that kind of patterning and design, but abstracted and then blown up on a big scale.

Now, as far as the bubble wrap and the Scotch tape that you brought on set.

How was this incorporated into this artwork?

I'm glad you asked.

The artist, Molly Hatch, although she grew up surrounded by China plates, her inspiration for this particular exhibit actually came from a trip to the, which is the 1926 Venetian Gothic mansion that's now home to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

Now, while she was there, she saw Mable Ringling China collection and a ceramic birdhouse.

When she got home, she fired 450 China plates and then hand-painted them with blue, white, and gold luster.

That then?

Now she had to transport the plates 1200 miles from her studio in Florence, Massachusetts, to the Sarasota Art Museum.

So she bubble wrapped all of those plates, loaded them into her car, and then drove south to the museum.

And how much bubble wrap does it take to wrap 450 of those plates?

That's amazing.

It takes about a half a mile or 2500 lineal feet of bubble wrap.

And don't even get me started on all of the Scotch tape that she went through.

And then when she got there, she had to unwrap each plate and glue it on the wall in a pattern that she had diagramed in advance.

The installation covers two floors, including the outdoor loggia, and you can see it from both inside and outside the museum.

It's called amalgam, and it's on display through April 26th, 2027.

That looks remarkable.

Thanks, Tom.

It's a really good exhibition.

You should get up there and take a look at it.

I would love to.

CERAMIC STUDENTS AT FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY TOOK PART IN A UNIQUE WAY TO SHOW THEIR ART.

AND THEY DID SO 30 FEET DEEP OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA AS PART OF OUR WGC USED DOCUMENTARY ON KIMBERLY'S REEF, PAM JAMES OF THE WGC, YOUR DOCUMENTARY TEAM BRING THE STORY OF STUDENTS BUILDING AN ARTIFICIAL REEF BY HAND.

>> IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, 7 AND A HALF MILES DUE WEST OF BONITA BEACH AND 30 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE GROWS AN ARTIFICIAL REEF COMPLEX CREATED BY THE WATER SCHOOL, FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY.

WELCOME TO KIMBERLY'S REEF.

WE GO FOR ANY ARTIFICIAL REEF IS TO CREATE A HABITAT TO DRAW FISH TO AN AREA.

THE DESIGN OF KIMBERLY'S REEF WITH ITS 18 CEMENT CULVERT IS MEANT TO DO JUST THAT WHILE ALSO PROVIDING A HOST OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIMENTATION.

ONE DEPARTMENT FGCU IS EXPERIMENTING WITH WAYS TO MAKE THE INSTALLATION APPEAL TO A WIDE RANGE OF CREATURES.

BUT USING CERAMICS AND 3 D ART.

THE IDEA WITH THIS PROJECT IS TO ENHANCED THOSE CULVERTS.

SO THE CEMENT IS JUST A VERY FLAT PLAINS SURFACE.

>> BUT THESE ORGANISMS, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WE'LL SETTLE ON THE SKELETONS OF PAST CORALS.

AND IT'S THIS HUGE ORGANISM, THIS ECOSYSTEM THAT GROWS ON TOP OF ITSELF.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE NATURE BY CREATING THE STRUCTURES THAT WILL GO ON TOP OF THAT AND PROVIDE THAT COMPLEXITY THAT WILL BE ATTRACTIVE TO A GREATER DEGREE OF BIODIVERSITY.

AND I KNOW IN CLAY THE WAY I DO.

>> IT WAS ABLE TO IMAGINE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT IT COULD DO THAT.

SO WE GOT TO THINKING ABOUT OKAY, WE CAN MAKE THESE THINGS THAT WILL GO ON THIS EXTERIOR CORNER THAT COVERT.

WE CAN MAKE.

THESE THINGS HAVE A GO INSIDE THE UPRIGHT CULVERTS THAT WILL CREATE GROUND STRUCTURE.

AND THEN THERE'S THE VERY ATTRACTIVE TOP FLAT SURFACE OF THAT.

THE LINE DOWN COVERT, WHERE OUR CALLER, YOU KNOW, CRAZIER.

>> SCULPTURES COULD GO SOME.

THE IDEA WITH THIS PROJECT WAS NOT TO CREATE SOME.

BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURE THAT WAS MEANT TO BE LOOKED AT, RIGHT?

IT'S MEANT TO HELP THESE ORGANISMS TAKE HOLD AND GROW AND FLOURISH.

PART OF THE INITIAL SCIENTIFIC PROCESS WAS DETERMINING WHAT MATERIAL WOULD BE MOST DURABLE WHEN CRAFTING STRUCTURES FOR UNDER THE WATER.

SO WE CHOSE TO USE 2 DIFFERENT PLAY BODIES.

>> OR SOMEWHERE, WHICH IS A LOWER TEMPERATURE.

CLAY, IT'S QUITE HARD, BUT STILL RELATIVELY POROUS.

AND SOMEWHAT LESS DURABLE AS A RESULT, THE HIGHER TEMPERATURE CLAY IS THE STONEWARE AND THAT IS FIRED UP TO THE POINT WHERE THE CLAY BODY SORT OF FULLY CLASSIFIES IT AS A CLASSY MATRIX, VERY HARD, VERY DURABLE.

>> SCIENTISTS FROM THE WATER SCHOOL ASK ME SEE IN TRISHA TO CREATE TILES TO SEE WHAT LIFE ATTACHES TO VARIOUS SURFACES.

>> IT'S A WAY OF UNDERSTANDING.

INTENTIONAL.

FOR GROWTH IN ANY PARTICULAR AREA.

SO WE MADE 4 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CERAMIC TILES ALL IN THE SAME SIZE.

BUT WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF STRUCTURAL ADDITION THAT INTRODUCTION OF A MORE TEXTURED MORE COMPLEX SURFACE.

THOSE WERE JUST PULLED UP AND ARE STARTING TO BE EXAMINED FOR WHAT EXACTLY IS GROWING ON THERE.

BUT YOU CAN SEE GROWTH VERY, VERY, VERY QUICKLY ON THE MOST TEXTURE TILES, THEY LIKE THE TEXTURE.

THEY LIKE THE ADDITIONAL STRUCTURE.

>> THE NEXT STEP FOR THE RT MUSIC STREAMING.

A VARIETY OF SHAPES SIZES AND TEXTURES OUT OF CLAY.

SO WE'RE STARTING OUT.

>> WITH THE EASIEST THINGS TO INSTALL THESE SORT OF MULTIPLE STRUCTURES THAT WE PUT TOGETHER TO GO ON THE INSIDE OF THE FACE OF COVERT.

>> BUT WE ARE HOPING TO SEE SEDENTARY ORGANISMS THAT WOULD HERE TO THE SURFACE OF THE CLAY LIKE CORALS, LIKE OYSTERS AND THOSE KINDS OF ORGANISMS.

SO THAT'S HOW WE DESIGN THESE LIKE THE CLAY IS POROUS.

SO IT WILL HELP THE CORAL LARVAE.

TAKE HOLD IN.

SETTLE.

BUT THEN WE'VE ALSO CREATED THEM TO BE INTERESTING STRUCTURES FOR FISH.

SO THERE ARE PLACES TO HIDE PLACES TO SWIM THROUGH, TO ENCOURAGE THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY.

>> THE TABLES FULL OF SCULPTURES WILL SLOWLY BE ADDED TO EACH CULVERT MAY SEE IN TRISHA GOT TO SEE THEIR FIRST STRUCTURES DEPLOYED.

THESE OBJECTS ARE FOR SCIENTIFIC LOTTERY.

>> SO WE HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED EVERY SINGLE PIECE.

>> WE HAVE TAGGED THEM ALL WILL BE CREATING A WHOLE CATALOG.

>> SO THAT AS THE MONITORING HAPPENS OVERTIME TO OH, MY GOODNESS NUMBER 35 IS REALLY GROWING LIKE CRAZY.

YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THAT?

>> AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, IN A COUPLE YEARS THE STRUCTURES WILL BE COMPLETELY COVERED OVER AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE THEM AT ALL.

AND AND WE WILL HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OUR GOAL IN THAT.

>> IN FROM AC A PROJECT LIKE THIS IS A PERFECT FIT FOR A STUDENT WITH A DOUBLE MAJOR IN BIOLOGY AND ART.

SO MY DREAM IS THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO STUDY THE ORGANISMS THAT HAVE SETTLED ON AND THESE ARE WORKS THAT WE'VE CREATED TOGETHER AND GETS REALLY SEE THE IMPACT OF ARTWORK.

>> WHAT ART HELPS TO DO IS TO FACILITATE ITS LIKE A BRIDGE BETWEEN >> SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC.

SO IT PACKAGES SCIENCE IN A WAY THAT'S EASY FOR PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO TO CARE WE CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON KIMBERLY'S REEF AND THE FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE WGC YOUR DOCUMENTARY TEAM VISIT WGC.

YOU DOT ORG.

OUR NEXT BROADCAST, THE NEW GENERATION OF FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS IS READY FOR THE CALL AND WE'RE FINDING OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO EARN A DEGREE.

COMING UP NEXT ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

MAKE SURE YOU VISIT WGC YOU DOT ORG, WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.