EECCOA stands for Energy Efficiency to Mitigate Climate Change and Ocean Acidification. It is a STEAM competition for students in grades 7-12, focused on reducing their school's carbon footprint or raising awareness of the importance of removing the Matilija Dam on the Ventura River. In the event, top students present project proposals chosen from 4 categories: to increase energy efficiency, water conservation, reduce waste, or develop Matilija Dam removal awareness campaigns that inform their communities.  Student Project proposals must reduce the carbon footprint of their school to mitigate climate change and reduce utility costs to make your school a healthier place.

Approximately 50 finalist teams will present their proposals to a panel of judges who will rank the proposals based on merit and cost effectiveness. Students with top proposals will be awarded cash or in-kind prizes. The EECCOA Challenge Awards Ceremony is the culmination of a 9 month-long program titled Ventura Action Network (V-RAN) Program which includes professional development for teachers and hands-on experience for students in the field of environmental science. 

The event is highly attended by environmental specialists, educators, community leaders as well as families of our participating students. Support from donors will go to raising funds for cash prizes to top teams in the competition.