Calling all middle and high school students: the Second Annual Voyage to Discovery Essay Contest is now accepting entries! 

Sponsored by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the contest offers up to $1,500 in scholarships to students for their essays celebrating the role of African Americans in our nation’s maritime history. Entries are due by April 4, 2014.

One of the contest winners from 2013, Patricia Edou of Oak Ridge High School in Tennessee, wrote the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation this delightful thank-you letter (posted with permission).

Voyage to Discovery brings to life the untold stories of African-Americans and the sea. Our hope is that these stories, which highlight African-Americans’ deep connection to the sea and celebrate the optimism of the human spirit, will inspire further curiosity and study, and help encourage greater ocean conservation awareness among African-Americans. Visit http://www.voyagetodiscovery.org for more information.