The mission of the Academy of Environmental Science is to instill in our students a sense of environmental stewardship and provide unique and challenging opportunities in the natural sciences.

The Citrus County Academy of Environmental Science in cooperation with community organizations and post-secondary institutions will provide a curriculum to prepare students to be qualified for entry-level positions and/or post-secondary education in careers in the environmental sciences. The academy will integrate various core courses to ensure relevant preparation for environmental science careers. Students in the academy will develop a strong partnership with academy administration, instructors, their parents and members from environmental organizations.

The Academy of Environmental Science, Citrus County's first charter school, was established in 1999 through a partnership with individuals, organizations, and agencies working to protect our precious environment in order to foster an awareness and promote appropriate stewardship of our environment and natural resources while focusing on environmental careers. The location of the academy provides a unique learning opportunity for students with many of the lessons designed to be taught out-of-doors. Under the guidance of highly qualified instructors, students from grades ten through twelve encounter the environment firsthand through exploration, discovery and research projects in cooperation with environmental organizations and post secondary institutions.

The academy is active in community events including Coastal Cleanup, Save Our Waters Week, National Wildlife Refuge Week, Earth Day and CSES Wetlands Festival. Students who have attended the academy have received numerous awards in the Citrus County Regional and Florida Science and Engineering Fair, Regional and State Envirothon as well as many scholarships to post secondary institutions. All students between grades nine and twelve who have maintained a 2.0 or higher in their core courses and have passed an academy review of their discipline and attendance records are eligible to apply for enrollment into the academy.

Low student to teacher ratio
   Qualified dedicated teachers
      Higher student interest level
         More quality learning time
            Less classroom disruption
               Flexible schedule
                  Nontraditional teaching approach
               Hands-on learning
            In-the-field studies
         Science research
      Living laboratory
   Cross-curriculum approach
Traditional literature plus science-related readings
   Honors courses
     Professional and academic writing
       Career/college preparation
         Scholarships through various organizations
           More science credits
             Test Preparation
           Internship
         Teamwork approach
       Community and parent involvement
     Partnerships with environmental organizations
and More!