Seminole High students lobby state, county to make Florida scrub jay official bird

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A flock of Seminole High School students is on a mission to make the Florida scrub jay the state bird.

The mission has taken them across the state, lobbying state representatives, and wildlife and government officials. Their state-level mission is ongoing, but the students celebrated a local win this week with Seminole County adopting the scrub jay as its official bird.

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In its resolution, the county also expressed support for recognizing the scrub jay as the official state bird.

That endorsement is one of 30 the members of the Seminole High School Wildlife Conservation Club gathered since they started their mission last year.

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District officials said their teacher, Kris Cole, has been on a mission to get the scrub jay names as the state bird since 1998 when students from Winter Springs High School testified before a Florida House of Representatives Committee and got the bill passed through the committee with a vote of 7-0.

In 1999, the students from WSHS testified before a Florida Senate Committee and got the bill passed through the committee 9-3.

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Both years, the bill died in the committees that followed.

District officials said the 35-40 members of the Conservation Club are continuing the mission 25 years later. You can follow along on their efforts on Twitter and Instagram.

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