OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A week dedicated to celebrating one of Florida’s most iconic animals also made a positive impact on the future of local students, as Wild Florida’s Gator Week raised $4,000 for the Wild Florida Cares Scholarship Fund.
Held May 27 through June 1, 2024, the annual Gator Week celebration welcomed local residents, tourists and wildlife enthusiasts to Wild Florida Adventure Park in Kenansville for a week of activities centered around the American alligator.
Throughout the event, visitors received free admission to Wild Florida’s Gator Park in exchange for a donation to the Wild Florida Cares Scholarship Fund, turning a family wildlife experience into an opportunity to support graduating Osceola County students.
By the end of the week, those donations had added up to $4,000 for scholarships benefiting Osceola County high school seniors who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership and an interest in conservation.
“We’re overwhelmed by the support and success of this year’s Gator Week,” said PJ Brown, Director of Sales at Wild Florida. “Our team appreciates the chance to invest in our future generation through our Wild Florida Cares Scholarship and help assist high school seniors achieve their educational goals.”
Gator Week featured a combination of education and entertainment, including live alligator demonstrations and interactive animal shows designed to help visitors learn more about Florida’s native wildlife. Guests could also experience Wild Florida’s airboat tours through the headwaters of the Florida Everglades.
The scholarship program is part of Wild Florida Cares, the nonprofit organization launched by Wild Florida in 2024 to expand its support of the community and wildlife conservation.
Through the organization, Wild Florida works to support conservation initiatives while investing in programs that benefit the local community, including educational opportunities for young people.
Located on Lake Cypress in Kenansville, Wild Florida offers airboat tours, wildlife encounters, a Gator Park and an expansive Drive-thru Safari Park, with an emphasis on connecting visitors with Florida’s natural environment and wildlife.
For Wild Florida, the success of Gator Week showed that celebrating Florida’s wild side can accomplish something even bigger — helping Osceola County students take the next step toward their educational goals.
