STUDENT GROUPS GIVE FEDERAL EXECUTIVES AND LAWMAKERS THEIR PLANS TO FIX OCEAN AND COASTAL PROBLEMS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES
NOAA Joins Coastal America and Federal Partners to Sponsor the Second National Student Summit in Washington, D.C.

Dec. 12, 2006 — Groups of motivated high school students spent three days in Washington, D.C., last week presenting plans to fix ocean and coastal problems in their communities and getting advice from federal ocean agency executives, Congressional lawmakers, and ocean scientists and celebrities. (Click image for larger view of National Student Summit on Oceans & Coasts program cover. Image courtesy of Coastal America.)

The student action plans are just one part of the National Student Summit on Oceans & Coasts, which included 120 students from 19 coastal delegations from a unique combination of science and technical sciences, social and economic disciplines, and government policy. The students were selected from 22 Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers based in aquariums, museums and research centers around the country. Each student delegation has researched ocean and coastal problems in their region, determined solutions and developed individual action plans that their communities will implement.

As a sponsor of the summit, NOAA joined Coastal America and other federal agencies hosting the many summit proceedings. Coastal America itself is a partnership of 12 federal agencies chaired by the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

"This summit is a way to involve students who are passionate about the health of our oceans and coastal communities. These scholars are our future ocean scientists and policy makers, and we all stand to benefit from efforts to foster creative thinking and mobilize local communities to address critical coastal and ocean issues," said Timothy Keeney, NOAA deputy assistant secretary oceans and atmosphere.

"These are some of our nation's top students and the future leaders responsible for managing our coasts and oceans," said Virginia K. Tippie, director of Coastal America. "These students have worked very hard to get here and we are pleased to provide this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to present their projects to top-level administrators and decision makers in Washington. The enthusiasm and commitment of the students is truly amazing."

At the summit, each delegation gave a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation that informs summit participants about their developed action plan. The presentation identified the regional issue and components, community process, project, timeframe, implementation plan and outcomes—if known. Each delegation designed a poster that was displayed during the summit identifying their issue and its importance within their region. Students returned home to refine and further implement their plans. They are required to keep journals throughout the process and prepare a case study on their implemented projects reporting results to Coastal America.

Speakers interacting with students at the summit:

• Robert Ballard, ocean explorer
• James L. Connaughton, chairman, White House Council on Environmental Quality
• Philippe Cousteau, president, Earth Echo
• Sylvia Earle, ocean explorer
• Dave Helvarg, founder and author of Blue Frontier and 50 Ways to Save the Ocean
• Timothy Keeney, NOAA deputy assistant secretary for oceans & atmosphere
• Kaiulani Lee, playwright and actor, A Sense of Wonder
• Gregg Marshall, National Geographic, inventor of Critter-Cam
• Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)
• Jim Toomey, cartoonist, Sherman's Lagoon

In 2007 NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, celebrates 200 years of science and service to the nation. Starting with the establishment of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA. The agency is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA Oceans Portal

Media Contact:
Scott Smullen or Dave Miller, NOAA, (202) 482-6090