TAMPA, Fla. — A group of Tampa students are doing their part to take on seagrass restoration.

Students in the Focus Academy Transition program, which serves young adults with developmental disabilities who are 18-22 years old, are working with Aquatech on a special project in Lake Apopka. 

Whether they’re mixing plaster, pouring it, or placing strings in it, “They all have their own role. They love coming out here and doing their role,” said Andre Davidson, an ESE teacher at the Focus Academy.

He says all of his students are working hard at saving seagrass one weight at a time through a partnership with Aquatech.

“We’ll mix the plaster, put a string in it, tie the plant to the string, throw it off the side of the boat for it to anchor the plant to the substrate and the plants will actually grow their roots as it slowly biodegrades,” said Brandon Rau, with Aquatech.

All of the weights the students are making are for a seagrass restoration project at Lake Apopka. Aquatech needs 250,000 weights for the project, which the students here are chipping away at. 

“I try to base it around their skills so they can be more confident while they’re out here working,” said Davidson.

All of the students are in the Focus Academy Transition Program which teaches them life skills and job training, while providing opportunities for independence. 

Davidson says making these weights gives students a sense of purpose.

“Although they do have disabilities, we like to focus on their abilities, and they work really hard here, and with smiles," Davidson said.

Over time, the Focus Academy says it hopes to expand the program with Aquatech, offering students off-campus opportunities doing things like seagrass planting, oyster shell recycling and mangrove restoration.