Sea Research Foundation, Inc. STEM Mentoring Program

The Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative, Category 2 (Multi-State Mentoring Program) provides funding to support mentoring organizations in their efforts to strengthen and/or expand their existing mentoring activities within local chapters or sub-awardees (in at least 5 states but fewer than 45 states) to reduce juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, truancy, and other problem and high-risk behaviors. FY 2015 funding will address the factors that can lead to or serve as a catalyst for delinquency or other problem behaviors in underserved youth, including youth in high-risk environments. Programs are encouraged to target their mentoring services to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth; children of parents on active military duty; children of incarcerated parents; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth; youth with disabilities; and youth in rural communities. This program is authorized by the FY15(OJJDP Ment. Oppor Yth) Pub. L. No. 113-235; 128 Stat. 2130, 2195.

Using grant dollars, Sea Research Foundation, Inc. will expand and enhance its science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) Mentoring program. The goal of the STEM Mentoring program is to positively impact the social development and academic achievement of at-risk and high-risk youth ages 6–12. The STEM mentoring program will utilize interactive STEM activities led by positive mentors in a safe and stimulating after-school environment to address and provide mentoring to at-risk and high-risk youth who underperform academically and socially; are under-represented in STEM careers; and are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors and/or delinquent acts. STEM Mentoring will combat these issues by connecting youth with caring mentors (4:1 mentee-to-mentor ratio) to engage in weekly, structured, multimedia STEM activities. The STEM mentoring program will be expanded to include 56 youth-serving affiliate sites in 36 states plus Puerto Rico. Each site will engage at least 672 mentors and 2,688 mentees, targeting youth who a) live in communities with high community risk factors, including poverty, unemployment, violent crime, and drug/gang involvement; b) are Native American; and/or c) have one or more parents in the military. CA/NCF