The goal of this funding opportunity is to expose high school students in the United States and its territories to the excitement of ocean sciences and related fields as well as careers in those fields through an academic competition and related activities.

Projects should be 3-5 years in duration,

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address at least one of the goals of NOAA's Education Strategic Plan, involve partnerships among academic institutions; other nonprofits, including free-choice learning venues; nongovernmental organizations; state, local and Indian tribal governments in the United States; and have an evaluation that both monitors the quality of the experience for the participants (be they students, teachers, or volunteers) but also the impact of the program on the participants.

Partnerships with NOAA Programs and/or Offices and/or involve NOAA scientists or other personnel as a resource are required, and partnerships with other Federal Programs and/or Offices to help support program activities are also encouraged.

The impact of the proposed project on the target audiences must be measurable during the award period.

Although it is expected that the project's focal point will be a tiered academic competition with regional and national-level events involving approximately 2000 students annually, it should also provide additional learning experiences for student participants, their peers and their teachers, such as internships and field or laboratory research experiences.

The project should also provide opportunities to connect students with scientists who can serve as mentors and introduce them to STEM careers, particularly in the ocean sciences.

The project should also demonstrate efforts to engage underserved and/or underrepresented student communities.

Proposed projects must be between three and five years in duration and have federal requests of $1,500,000 to $2,100,000 for all years of the project with annual federal requests of no more than $300,000 for Year 1 and $450,000 for all subsequent years.

We intend to make one award under this funding announcement and anticipate it will be made by June 30, 201 5. Under this scenario, the project funded under this announcement will have a start date no earlier than August 1, 201 5.