Department of the Interior Grant: American Solar Challenge for National Trail System 50th Anniversary Celebration – MWRO

This Cooperative Agreement P17AC00949 (Agreement) is entered into by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), and Innovators Educational Foundation (IEF) (Recipient). IEF is a non-profit organization that coordinates and conducts multi-state solar-car rallies. These events are designed to challenge collegiate teams to design, build, manage, and run solar cars for long distances. This experience provides the college teams’ real-world experience in engineering, logistics, fundraising, and public affairs. The parks, partners, and communities that the American Solar Challenge (ASC) will drive through will have opportunities to interact with solar technology and consider the history and future of innovation and a pioneering spirit. The Oregon National Historic Trail (ONHT) was chosen for this year’s route. As a long-distance corridor that crosses multiple national parks as well as other federal, state and other jurisdictions, this route provides a great opportunity to tie today’s technology into our country’s history. The ONHT is part of the National Trails System, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2018. The objectives of this Agreement are to 1) engage visitors in interpretive themes concerning the National Trails System, the ONHT, and American innovation; 2) provide an outstanding educational environment where collegiate participants are challenged to learn about a significant event in our nation’s history; 3) provide an opportunity for youth to help connect the public with the nation’s history; 4) celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System; 4) bring awareness of both our national trails system and our nation’s history to new audiences; 5) highlight resources of the National Trails System that are administered by the NPS but owned and/or managed by a multitude of public and private partners; and 6) to engage the public with trail resources in a manner that will promote resource understanding and protection.

IEF is a non-profit organization that coordinates and conducts multi-state solar-car rallies. These events are designed to challenge collegiate teams to design, build, manage, and run solar cars for long distances. This experience provides the college teams’ real-world experience in engineering, logistics, fundraising, and public affairs. The parks, partners, and communities that the American Solar Challenge (ASC) will drive through will have opportunities to interact with solar technology and consider the history and future of innovation and a pioneering spirit.

The Oregon National Historic Trail (ONHT) was chosen for this year’s route. As a long-distance corridor that crosses multiple national parks as well as other federal, state and other jurisdictions, this route provides a great opportunity to tie today’s technology into our country’s history. The ONHT is part of the National Trails System, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2018.

The objectives of this Agreement are to 1) engage visitors in interpretive themes concerning the National Trails System, the ONHT, and American innovation; 2) provide an outstanding educational environment where collegiate participants are challenged to learn about a significant event in our nation’s history; 3) provide an opportunity for youth to help connect the public with the nation’s history; 4) celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System; 4) bring awareness of both our national trails system and our nation’s history to new audiences; 5) highlight resources of the National Trails System that are administered by the NPS but owned and/or managed by a multitude of public and private partners; and 6) to engage the public with trail resources in a manner that will promote resource understanding and protection.