The NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program is an environmental education program that supports experiential learning through local competitive grant awards in specific geographic regions.

Prior to 2008 NOAA B-WET Programs were established for the Chesapeake Bay,

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California, and the Hawaiian Islands.

As of 2008, three new programs are in place in New England, the northern Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest.

In FY09, it is anticipated that funds will be available for each of these three regions.

Proposals are currently being solicited from the Pacific Northwest region, the northern Gulf of Mexico region, and the New England region.

For the purposes of this solicitation, these three regions are defined as follows:
a.

Pacific Northwest--the states of Oregon and Washington; b.

Northern Gulf of Mexico--the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas; c.

New England--the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

NOAA recognizes that knowledge and commitment built from firsthand experience, especially in the context of one's community and culture, is essential for achieving environmental stewardship.

Carefully selected experiences driven by rigorous academic learning standards, engendering discovery and wonder, and nurturing a sense of community will further connect students with their watershed, help reinforce an ethic of responsible citizenship, and promote academic achievement.

Experiential learning techniques, such as those supported by the NOAA B-WET Program, have been shown to increase interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), thus contributing to NOAA's obligations under the America COMPETES Act (33 U.S.C.

893a(a)).