The Beckstein Charitable Fund of Manatee Community Foundation has awarded a $200,000 grant to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s Science Education Aquarium (SEA). Since 2018, the fund has provided a total of $250,000 to Mote SEA.

Mote SEA is being planned for 12 acres in the Sarasota County-owned Nathan Benderson Park. Its interactive teaching labs will be accessible to all schools in the region, including no-cost opportunities, so that each child has the chance to discover marine science and technology first-hand.