Tampa Bay Watch Director Of Education Receives Lightning Hero Award

TIERRA VERDE, FL — Tampa Bay Watch Director of Education Katie Mastenbrook has received the 484th Lightning Community Hero award.

This signature philanthropic initiative of the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation honors local heroes who make positive impacts on their community through good works and volunteerism.

Mastenbrook received a $50,000 grant from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program, presented by Jabil, which will support Tampa Bay Watch’s Estuary EDventures program at the Auer Marine Education Center in Tierra Verde.

Estuary EDventures introduces students to estuary ecology, habitat restoration and conservation. The program offers field trips, spring break and summer camps, and school outreach program in which students are exposed to the wonders of the natural world through hands-on, marine science labs and immersive field experiences.

Fifty percent of the field trips facilitated through these programs are to schools that are academically at risk or designated Title I schools, signifying that a majority of students qualify for the free lunch program.

“I am honored to represent Tampa Bay Watch and be a part of these programs which have helped over 22,000 students of low-income status since 2007 through 1,074 field trips,” said Mastenbrook. “We believe every student should have access to these educational programs and be able to experience the beauty of the bay, regardless of financial situations.”

The Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation is a nonprofit organization. Lightning owners Jeff and Penny Vinik launched the Community Hero program in 2011. In 2021, the organization announced an extension of the program, pledging $10 million over the next five years.

For nearly 30 years, Tampa Bay Watch has remained committed to restoring the bay through community awareness, restoration projects and educational programs.