Educate the next generation

Get Involved!

We encourage and support youth becoming involved as active stewards of their communities. The Exxon Valdez oil spill happened in 1989, but its effects linger. Even though they might not have been around when the spill occurred, youth and young adults can learn about that disaster and play a vital role in helping prevent another spill.

Funding opportunity for projects that involve youth!

Youth Involvement Project participant

Teachers, students, and educational groups: are you looking for a partner in a new or ongoing educational program? 

Specific projects proposed by any student or educational group within the Exxon Valdez oil spill affected region may be able to receive funding from the Council. Projects or activities must relate to the Council’s mission and responsibilities. Limited funding is available, therefore only those proposals which are deemed most relevant to the mission of the the Council will be considered.

Deadlines for Proposals

There are two deadlines each year to submit proposals for funding.  Please contact the council’s Outreach Coordinator Maia Draper-Reich at 907.273.6235 for the next deadline.

You may also subscribe to our email list for new Requests for Proposals to receive notifications when new requests for proposals such as the Youth Involvement project are issued by the council.

Projects and activities previously funded by the Council:

Examples of projects that the Council successfully funds include:

  • ROV engineering challenges with mock oil spill clean up
  • Marine tours to learn about spill prevention and ecosystem impacts of spills
  • Creation of education kits for units from the Alaska Oil Spill Lesson Bank
  • Teacher workshops and lesson plan development related to the Alaska Oil Spill Lesson Bank
  • Special school units on Exxon Valdez oil spill history, oil spill prevention and response, or related environmental hazards, including field trips and/or guest presenters
  • Peer-to-peer learning opportunities, such as interns or high school youth leading oil spill education programs for younger students

The following short videos demonstrate excellent projects that integrated the PWSRCAC mission successfully:

Ocean Sciences Club

The Alaska SeaLife Center received funding in 2015 from the Council for their Ocean Sciences Club, a weekly get together for Seward students interested in ocean sciences. As part of the program, the students learned how the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill affected the Gulf of Alaska. To experience first-hand the potential challenges of cleaning up an oil spill, the club conducted a small-scale spill of its own. Check out the video for more:

Kodiak youth projects

The Council partnered with Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in 2014 and 2015 on two oil spill related projects. The refuge’s annual Salmon Camp included oil spill lessons as part of their activities, and the refuge’s Youth Conservation Corps sent teen leaders to Anchorage for the Alaska Forum on the Environment’s youth track. The teen leaders produced videos about their summer work in salmon camp, and teen Kyla Villaroya’s film, “Spilling the Truth” which explores effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on the community of Kodiak, was chosen for a keynote at the forum. Watch the video here:

Remotely operated vehicles activity

The Prince William Sound Science Center has partnered with the Council through the Youth Involvement project to bring Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to life for high school students. Check out this 2014 video of the competition at the Alaska Tsunami Bowl held in Seward.

Skip to content