The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering this grant to fund the Coastal America Foundation’s Student Ocean Summit Conference (SOSCon).

The CAF is engaging young people in climate change issues with the Student Ocean Summit Conference (SOSCon). The purpose of the SOSCon project is to teach high school students about the interconnectedness of the ocean, great lakes, inland seas and climate with particular focus on climate change. Four students from each Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center (23 members) comprise a delegation. Each delegation works closely with educators and professional conservationists in their area to understand the relationship between the ocean, great lakes, inland seas and climate. After providing the delegations with appropriate educational resources, these students develop action plans for an ocean/climate change issue pertinent to their region. The students then travel to Washington, DC to present their plans, discuss shared concerns and to recommend national actions to leaders in the environmental science and policy communities. The additional funding would be used for grants to Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers to support implementation of student action plans developed through the Student Summit , management of the established grant process, and Learning Center support. Learning Center support would focus on implementation of youth awareness initiatives identified during the Student Summit in Washington, DC. Implementation of student action plans and youth awareness initiatives will provide students unique exposure to careers in research and resource management and directly support Department youth education objectives.