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(specifically opioid abuse), truancy, and other problem and high-risk behaviors. FY 2018 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; youth with disabilities; youth with opioid/substance abuse problems; and youth in rural communities. This program is authorized and funded pursuant to Pub L. No. 115-141, 132 Stat. 348, 423.

The goal of the Sea Research Foundation (SRF) Mentoring Program is to positively impact the social development and academic achievement of at-risk and high-risk youth ages 6–10. By providing these youth with high-quality, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)based group mentoring experiences, the proposed mentoring program encourages them to reduce high-risk behaviors, improve protective factors, and increase their knowledge of and interest in STEM careers. A secondary goal is to provide peer mentors ages 12–17 with support and training to help them build strong, positive relationships with their mentees. STEM Mentoring will achieve these goals by connecting youth with mentors (4:1 mentee-to-mentor ratio) to engage in weekly multimedia STEM activities. SRF proposes to make subawards to affiliate sites in at least 30 states and territories. To achieve the project goals and objectives, SRF will: 1) provide sites with training and technical assistance based on the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring; 2) provide sites with STEM Mentoring curriculum modules along with associated STEM content training and technical assistance; and 3) measure the project impact. SRF intends to use collected information only to meet OJJDP performance measures requirements and to generate internal improvements to the program. CA/NCF