Resources for students

Students, foster your sense of wonder with hands-on activities that connect you to the ocean! Whether in class or outside, you can participate in learning experiences to expand your horizons through science, technology, engineering, art, and math. The sanctuary education program encourages you to be advocates for your special places.


Ta'iala o le Sami

Ta`iala o le Sami engages youth in hands-on leadership development activities that actively promote and implement ocean conservation efforts within school campuses and along the shore. This program cultivates a new generation of environmental stewards through issue exploration, community outreach, education, and student-led community-based conservation projects.

Students and instructors standing on a beach

Sanctuary Summer Science in the Village (SSSV)

The Sanctuary Summer Science in the Village program empowers students to understand and appreciate their local lands and waters. The annual program targets youth in sanctuary-adjacent villages who are members of that sanctuary community, and promotes a sense of ownership and care for the environment. In addition to encouraging students, the program provides creative and environmentally-responsible hands-on practices that foster environmental stewardship and innovation. This program allows students to explore the dynamic Earth processes and the impact of environmental events on a village or global scale.

Students crafting a structure using toothpicks

Underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) program

Focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), this program challenges high school students to work in teams to design and build an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to tackle missions modeled after scenarios from the ocean workplace. Additionally, students work on marketing displays and engineering presentations, and demonstrate their ROVs capabilities through an obstacle course. This program is made possible through partnerships between National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, Stockbridge InvenTeam, MATE Center, American Samoa Department of Education, and the STEAM Initiative working group.

An ROV made of PVC pipe being piloted in a pool

Please contact isabel.gaoteote@noaa.gov or call 684-633-6500 for other student opportunities, upcoming workshops, and much more.