Scholarship Winners Announced by CCA & Mud Hole Education Program – Fishing Tackle Retailer

2025 CCA Florida Fred Crabill Youth Scholarship Program Promotes Environmental Leadership Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

In its fourth consecutive year, the CCA Florida Fred Crabill Youth Scholarship Program, presented by the Mud Hole Custom Tackle Education Program, continues to foster environmental leadership among Florida high school students. The 2025 scholarship winners were announced at the Awards Banquet held on June 19 in Oviedo, FL. This initiative strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

2025 Scholarship Winners and Awards Ceremony

1. First Place: James Demarco of Pompano Beach – $3,000 scholarship
2. Second Place: Kendall Kreuscher of Lake Worth – $2,000 scholarship
3. Third Place: Candela Valerio of Homestead – $1,000 scholarship

The Awards Banquet included a catered dinner, a video recap of the week’s activities, and participation from students, parents, and officials from CCA Florida and Mud Hole Custom Tackle.

Program Support and Educational Impact

• Financial Contribution: Mud Hole Custom Tackle provided $6,000 through the Matt McGuffee College Scholarship Initiative, honoring a former employee.
• Program Activities: Students engaged in coast-to-coast environmental learning experiences, including visits to the Duke Energy Mariculture Center and Bajio Sunglasses, focusing on sustainable business practices.
• Hands-On Learning: Participants built custom fishing rods and fished for barramundi, enhancing practical skills and environmental awareness.
• Evaluation Criteria: Students were assessed on attention, creativity, presentation, and engagement, promoting critical thinking and leadership aligned with SDG 4.

Partnership and Community Engagement

CCA Florida Regional Director Jimmy Michaels emphasized the professionalism and environmental commitment of the participants. The partnership between CCA Florida and Mud Hole Custom Tackle Education Program exemplifies collaborative efforts to advance SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by empowering youth to become future conservation leaders.

Grand Scholarship and Community Conservation Initiatives

For the third year, the ten 2025 participants have the opportunity to earn a $5,000 Grand Scholarship by developing conservation-focused programs at their high schools. These initiatives aim to positively impact local communities and promote sustainable environmental stewardship consistent with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 15.

About the Mud Hole Custom Tackle Education Program

• Established in 2008, the program integrates custom rod building into school curricula through lesson plans and teaching tools.
• Over 50,000 students from more than 700 schools and youth organizations have benefited from the program.
• The program supports SDG 4 by enhancing quality education and practical skills development.
• More information is available at mudhole.com.

About CCA Florida

• Founded in 1977, CCA Florida is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to marine resource conservation.
• With over 18,000 members, CCA Florida engages in habitat restoration, water quality initiatives, and fisheries advocacy.
• The organization supports SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 through its conservation efforts.
• Learn more at ccaflorida.org.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 4: Quality Education – The article highlights educational programs and scholarships aimed at fostering environmental leadership among high school students.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The involvement of businesses like Mud Hole Custom Tackle and Bajio Sunglasses in preserving the environment through their business strategies relates to sustainable consumption and production.
3. SDG 14: Life Below Water – The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida’s efforts in marine resource conservation, habitat restoration, and fisheries advocacy directly connect to the protection and sustainable use of oceans and marine resources.
4. SDG 15: Life on Land – The scholarship program encourages students to create conservation-focused programs that positively impact their communities, which can include terrestrial environmental conservation.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.7: Ensure that all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Target 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle.
3. SDG 14: Life Below Water
   • Target 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts.
   • Target 14.4: Effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing to restore fish stocks.
4. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. SDG 4 Indicators
   • Number of students participating in environmental education programs and scholarships (implied by the scholarship program participation and outreach to over 50,000 students).
   • Inclusion of sustainable development topics in school curricula (implied through Mud Hole’s integration of custom rod building and conservation education).
2. SDG 12 Indicators
   • Number of companies adopting sustainable business practices (implied by Duke Energy Mariculture Center and Bajio Sunglasses incorporating environmental preservation in their strategies).
3. SDG 14 Indicators
   • Extent of marine habitat restoration projects (implied through CCA Florida’s habitat restoration efforts).
   • Fish stock health and sustainable fishing practices (implied by CCA Florida’s fisheries advocacy and fishing activities in the program).
4. SDG 15 Indicators
   • Number of community conservation programs initiated by students (implied by the $5,000 Grand Scholarship requirement for conservation-focused community programs).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: fishingtackleretailer.com