SALEM, MA – Today, Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) announced that Salem Sound Coastwatch, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring and protecting the coastal waters and marine habitats of Salem Sound, has received a $20,000 federal grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
Sound Coastwatch’s project to equip students with ocean literacy and environmental stewardship
The grant will fund Salem Sound Coastwatch’s environmental education project, “STEAMing Ahead in Our Watershed,” which is designed to equip local, underserved students with a better understanding of ocean literacy and environmental stewardship through hands-on engagement in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM).
“The Sixth District is home to a host of vital natural resources that we must defend for the sake of our local economy and for future generations to enjoy,” said Moulton. “As a member of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Task Force, I’m working to promote data-based policy that protects our environment. And the Salem Sound Coastwatch organization’s commitment to scientific research, education, and environmental stewardship makes it a critical partner. Thanks to their efforts and federal funding from NOAA, local students will have the chance to take part in an innovative environmental education project and gain a better understanding of why defending our watersheds is vital.”
“’STEAMing Ahead in Our Watershed’ is a project incorporating science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the arts, with the primary goal of getting kids out to learn about what our watershed is and how humans interact with and impact it,” said Emily Flaherty, Head of Outreach and Education for Salem Sound Coastwatch.
The grant was awarded as part of the NOAA 21st Century Community Learning Centers Watershed STEM Education Partnership Grant Pilot. These awards to local community organizations are part of an innovative, out-of-school education program that pairs students with field experts to engage in hands-on, outdoors studies to better understand, protect, and restore our local watersheds and to promote local environmental protection.
