Case Study

Historic Virginia
Key Beach Park

Building a five-year education roadmap for a landmark site where Black history, civic activism, ecology, and recreation intersect.

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Summary of Project — Historic Virginia Key Beach Park

Building a Five-Year Education Roadmap for Historic Virginia Key Beach Park

Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, a City of Miami public beach park, partnered with Blake Learning Solutions to build a stronger, more cohesive education program honoring the site's unique identity as a place of Black history, civic activism, ecological conservation, and recreation. Through on-site research, staff collaboration, and market review, we helped HVKBP define not just what materials to create, but how to build and sustain an education program over time.

The Challenge

Expanding educational offerings — without a roadmap for how to grow

HVKBP wanted to expand its educational offerings but needed more than a set of individual products. The park needed a clear plan for how education could support its mission, reach different audiences, guide future growth, and become sustainable over time.

That meant answering bigger questions:

Who is the program for?
What kinds of experiences should the park offer?
How should those offerings balance history, ecology, activism, and recreation?
What staffing, pricing, and evaluation structures would support long-term success?

The Solution

A five-year education roadmap, supported by launch-ready programs and materials

We began with an on-site visit to Miami, where we met with HVKBP staff, explored the site, and studied how visitors currently experienced the park. We then developed a five-year Education Plan establishing a strategic vision, five priority audiences, four core program areas, and a phased development timeline.

Interactive Digital Experiences

We developed virtual experiences designed to expand access beyond the park visit, including an interactive site map and a five-part series on heroes of community activism for lifelong learners.

Walking Tours & On-Site Interpretation

We wrote a walking tour script and related interpretive materials to support guided, place-based learning, along with standards for future tours including script structure, docent training, and accessibility considerations.

Field Trip & Classroom Materials

Ready-to-use educational materials for school audiences, including an interactive "Photographs as Primary Sources" lesson for grades 3–8 and a STEM-focused "Planting with Purpose" field trip for grades 4–6, all aligned to Florida learning standards.

Camps & Family Programming

A six-part Saturday Fun Series with themed programs such as Archaeology Day, Music Day, and Nature Day, balancing recreation and learning while building long-term community engagement.

The Impact

A clear, actionable strategy for building an education program over five years

Expanding educational reach across multiple audiences

Connecting the park's history and environment in more intentional ways

Launching new programs with staffing, docent, and evaluation structures in place

Pricing and marketing offerings more strategically based on local market analysis

Building toward long-term goals, including a stronger reputation and eventual on-site museum development

HVKBP came away with more than a collection of education materials. They gained a clear, actionable strategy for building an education program over the next five years, grounded in audience needs, aligned with the park's mission, and designed for growth.

Next Step