Driftwood elementary
7 feet above sea level
On September 10, 2026, Driftwood Elementary became the first elementary school in Broward County to host The Underwater, and it quickly became one of our favorite schools we’ve brought this presentation to. Located just 7 feet above sea level, the school gave students a direct look at how geography and climate change connect to their own future. The kids were young, but they already knew so much about climate change, and their excitement carried through the whole program.
Youth Voices for a Resilient Future
During the assembly, Xavier Cortada shared a goal behind the program: to give students knowledge, curiosity, and creativity. He explained it as a cycle, curiosity leads to questions, questions lead to answers, answers become knowledge, and that knowledge fuels the creativity that turns into action. Alongside Adam Roberti, Xavier walked students through how sea level rise could affect South Florida and their everyday lives, blending science, storytelling, and creative expression so students could see themselves as part of the climate solution.
Building Momentum
To extend the impact beyond the classroom, students designed elevation markers to display outside their homes, helping educate neighbors and families about sea-level rise and local climate vulnerability. Since the students were young didn’t have phones to depict their own elevations, we had them write the number 7 instead, the exact elevation of their school above sea level.
Driftwood Elementary School is now part of a growing youth-driven movement across Broward County using art, science, and civic action to build a more climate-resilient future.
