History: 20+ Years of Excellence 1987 - 2013

The Community Classroom Consortium began in 1987 with a grant from the Smithsonian Institution to participate in its “Regional Workshop Program.” Tallahassee was the only city in the tri-state area and one of only 4 cities nationwide to be selected that year to participate in this program.

Mission

The Community Classroom Consortium inspires a sense of community, provides educational enrichment by offering authentic experiences through collaborative projects, programs, and publications, and supports and strengthens the educational missions of the members of the community.

Participants

Over 35 community resource groups participate in this organization, representing educators from historical, cultural, environmental and scientific agencies from north Florida and south Georgia.

Signature Projects

• "Beyond the Blackboard," a day-long conference for educators, has been sponsored by the Consortium every 2-3 years. It includes a resource fair that showcases resources and educational materials that are available at Community Classroom sites – including such national organizations as the Smithsonian Institution and the National Sciences Resources Center – and methods classes that demonstrate how these resources could be used for hands-on learning experiences for students that meet state educational standards.
• "Sylvester Davis Jr. After-School Support Project"
  Each Wednesday, Consortium members visit the Lawrence Gregory Community Center at Dade Street in Tallahassee to present students with hands-on, learning experiences. Students are exposed to a wide range of cultural, historic, scientific, environmental and artistic resources in their community. In the past, financial support from the Frenchtown Front Porch Revitalization Council and in-kind contributions from Consortium members have permitted actual visits to member sites.
• "Community Classroom Consortium Education Grant"
  The Community Classroom Consortium Education Grant Program is now accepting applications for the 2011-2012 year.

Other Achievements

• 2005 Sustainable Florida Non-Profit Award
• Partnerships with community members: Some past and present projects include: annual Silent Auction fundraiser at the Magnet Lab Open House; “Fun for the Family” column in the Tallahassee Democrat; “Passport to Adventure” with the Leon County Public Library; Dragonfly TV with WFSU-TV; science partners with Nims Middle School; “Family Fun Days” at local schools and malls; participate in member festivals such as the FSU Magnet Lab’s Open House; Leon Association for Science Teacher events and at the Brogan Museum’s “Welcome Back Teachers” event; and developed In-Site lesson plans for teachers.
• Professional Development – voted on by Consortium members, these presentations are offered at the general membership meetings to enhance and enrich staff and programs at our sites.

Visit our membership section for more information about becoming a member of the Community Classroom Consortium.

Past & Present Member Organizations

• Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve
• Barnes & Noble Booksellers
• Big Bend DART
• Birdsong Nature Center
• Bonnie Holub & Associates, Inc.
• Brokaw-McDougall House
• Challenger Learning Center
• City of Tallahassee – Water Utilities Services
• Colquitt/Miller Arts Council
• Council on Culture and Arts
• Elinor Knapp Phipps Park
• Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection
  • Office of Environmental Education
  • Florida State Parks
• Florida Division of Forestry – Bear Creek Educational Forest
• Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission – Project WILD
• Florida Folklife Program
• Florida Forestry Foundation – Project Learning Tree
• Florida Governor’s Mansion
• Florida Law-Related Education Association
• Florida Legislative Research Center/Museum
• Florida State Archives
• FSU – Claude Pepper Library and Museum
• FSU – Florida Institute for Art Education
• FSU Dept. of Biological Science – Saturday at the Sea
• FSU Dept. of Dance – Dance Repertory Theatre
• FSU Museum of Fine Arts
• FSU National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
• Girl Scout Council of Apalachee Bend
• Gulf Specimen Marine Lab
• Holy Comforter Episcopal School
• Institute on World War II and the Human Experience
• Joe Budd Aquatic Education Center
• Knott House Museum
• Lapham-Patterson House
• Learning for Life
• LeMoyne Art Foundation
• Leon County Extension Office – 4-H, County Forester
• Leon County Mosquito Control Unit
• Leon County Public Schools
• Leon County Senior Outreach
• Leroy Collins Leon County Public Library
• Mad Science of Tallahassee
• Magnolia School
• Mission San Luis
• Mission San Luis
• Museum of Art/Tallahassee
• Museum of Florida History
• Northwest Florida Water Management District
• Panhandle Pioneer Museum
• Panhandle Regional Environmental Education Service Project
• Pebble Hill Plantation
• Quilters Unlimited
• Riley House Museum
• Rossier Productions, Inc.
• School for Arts and Sciences
• SE Regional Black Archives, Research Center and Museum
• Smithsonian Institution
• St. Francis Wildlife Association
• St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
• The Old Capitol
• The Union Bank
• Thomas County Historical Society Museum
• Thomasville Cultural Center
• U.S. Geological Survey
• VolunteerLEON
• Wakulla Tourist Development Council
• WFSU-TV/Ready to Learn