Our Mission

The Florida Fishing Academy’s mission is to empower at-risk youth in our community with marine experiential learning.

Our Values

Using marine-related activities, we teach children about nature while imparting lessons in life. It’s not just about fishing. It’s about giving them the skills and internal strength to turn away from drugs, violence and negative societal influences. It also introduces the marine industry as a possible career path.

We aim to instill positive values including a responsibility to preserve and protect the environment; a desire to be stewards of our local neighborhoods and to respect the law; a belief in the value of education and growth; a commitment to personal health and hygiene; and an urge to be a positive role model.

Kids swimming and snorkeling on an FFA field trip.

Vision

Our vision is to grow beyond Palm Beach County, serve more youth, have access to more boats, increase our staff and board of directors and create loyal, committed sponsors who donate every year.

Vision for 2023-2028

  • Double the number of youths served
  • Expand our programming to Martin County
  • Expand our board
  • Evaluate and restructure our fundraising events
  • Evaluate and restructure the acquisition of the Thea Marie
  • Evaluate the acquisition of several new vessels
  • Continue to improve our Riviera Beach facility and add new job-training programs

Vision for 2025

(  ✓ denotes already achieved and growing)

  1. Attract and develop new board members
  2. Engage board members and the communities we serve
  3. Create an alumni organization
  4. Create a youth advisory board
  5. Have a permanent staff of five to 10 paid employees
  6. Provide greater access to boats of various sizes, including restructuring the ownership of the Thea Marie
    • Create capital campaign
  7. Develop a broader, regional reach
  8. Host regular field trips to locales like Biscayne Bay, the Keys, the West Coast of Florida, Lake Okeechobee and the Panhandle
  9. Increase our social media presence
  10. Develop and produce a local, regional or national TV show
  11. Nurture a group of loyal, committed sponsors who donate $50,000 or more a year
  12. Build a school/classroom facility/training center/Marine Lab ✓
  13. Host fully operating summer camps ✓
  14. Provide simultaneous freshwater and saltwater offerings ✓
  15. Host educational fairs ✓

Help Us Reach Our Goals

Learn more about our programs.

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