Item No. 1 of 1

INVESTIGATOR: Augustine, Z. N.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
SOUTHERN UNIV
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA 70813

ACADEMY FOR THE ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The Academy for the Academic Enhancement of High School Students in the Food and Agricultural Sciences will involve 20 high school juniors over two (2) years. The overall goal of this project is to cultivate life skills and build character in youth while equipping them with the tools necessary to make better life and career choices. Phase I is a 5 week residential program and during Phase II the participants will work for eight weeks with sponsoring USDA agencies. The experiences and exposure will prepare the youth to successfully matriculate in a four year university, attend a community or technical college or assume entry level positions in the job sector. Overall this project will increased numbers of students entering food and agricultural sciences and provide a better prepared workforce for USDA and other employers.

OBJECTIVES: The specific objectives of the proposal are to: 1.Enhance knowledge and application of standardized test taking skills through instruction in CORE subjects and the humanities; 2.Enhance awareness of the food and agricultural sciences through short courses and experiential learning activities; 3. Increase the leadership and decision-making skills by promoting volunteerism; and 4. Provide career development experiences and opportunities for students by working in professional settings.

APPROACH: The goals of this project will accomplished through a variety of methods. Phase I will entail objectives one and two and will involve 20 high school juniors participating in a residential program. The primary activities of this phase will include ACT preparation, exposure to the food and agricultural and experiential short courses highlighting horticulture, urban forestry, animal science, agricultural economics, food science, human nutrition, clothing and textiles and volunteer / leadership development. During Phase II, the participants will undergo workforce development, hands-on training by working with USDA and other agricultural related businesses and agencies in the state.

PROGRESS: 2012/09 TO 2015/08
Target Audience:Target Audiences: The Academy for the Academic Enhancement of High School Students in the Food and Agricultural Sciences targeted high school students who needed help in obtaining the basic requirements to receivingtuition and admission into college. We selected twenty high school juniors to participate in the project. The selection process is described below: Student Classification:Students were limited to high school juniors for these reasons: a) The senior class in most high schools are generally role models and leaders so after being in the project and returning back to school, most under classmen will be motivated and impressed as the seniorshared their experiences with the younger students. This will help in the recruitment of future participants for follow upefforts or similar projects.b) Students are closer to choosing a college and career major. c) Studentsneed immediate guidance and this project will provide the direction that is needed. Letter of Interest:The students were required to turn in the application materials, a letter and an essay telling us their interest in the project. This letter was evaluated on both style and content. A brief summary of the objectives of the project and a list of disciplines and careers in the agriculture sciences was sent to the high schools. From this information, students wrote a one page essay stating why they wanted to be a part of the summer project. This essay was a part of the evaluation that assisted us withselecting the participants. Overall Grade Point Average and ACT Score:Students were require to have a GPA of at least 2.5 on a scale of 4.0. Selection would be given to those who scored between 16-19 on the ACT test. Students submitting a SAT score would be converted to an equivalent ACT score. Letters of Recommendations:Each student would need two letters of recommendations; a counselor and a teacher that was familiar with their abilities in science, mathematics, English, and /or agriculture sciences. From the above criteria, 20 of the top students werechosen from the applicants. Changes/Problems:Phase I of the project was implementedwith twentyhigh school juniorsparticipating. However, during Phase II onlyseventeen returned. Three (3) did not participate because of personal and family circumstances. Yet, they all completed high school. The three students did maintain communication with the projectdirector and co-directorfor educational advisement. The director and co-director also had an opportunity to mentor the students into there second semester of college. There were opportunities to assist with peer tutuoring, developing practical skills in the urban garden, furthering the students interest in collegiate MANRRS by keeping them involved and assisting them with applying for book scholarship while in school etc.This was all apparentbecause of the opportunity for ano cost extension. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Program staff, especially the student mentors, received initial training on how to successfully mentor students. They participated in the field trips and learned valuable lessons about the food and agricultural industry. They stated that the experience gained will be beneficial in career choices. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Academy for the Academic Enhancement of High School Students in the Food and Agricultural Sciences project will begenerating apaper for submissionto apeer reviewed journal and for an articlein aSouthern University Agriculture Research and Extension Center publication. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

IMPACT: 2012/09 TO 2015/08
What was accomplished under these goals? The Academy for the Academic Enhancement of High School Students in the Food and Agricultural Sciences (Ag Academy) was divided into two separate phases:Phase I (summer 2013) and Phase II (summer 2014). The Ag Academy Phase II of 2014 hadseventeenparticipants to return to the program. Of the seventeen, ten (or 59 percent) of the participants enrolled asfreshmen at Southern University and A&M College and seven of the ten (70 percent) declared a major or minored in programs at the College ofSciences and Agriculture. Eleven (65 percent) of the students receivedACT score of 20 and above which qualified them for the Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) scholarship award.Sixteen of the twenty participants (80 percent)increased their ACT score. All twenty participants (100 percent)graduated fromhigh school and seventeen (85 percent) of phase I participantsenrolled in colleges in Louisiana. Students Change in ACT Test Scores Student Number Initial Score (Test 1) Highest Score Student Number Initial Score (Test 1) Highest Score 1 18 20* 11 18 18 2 16 18 12 19 22* 3 18 21* 13 18 19 4 17 17 14 18 18 5 19 20* 15 18 22* 6 18 18 16 18 21* 7 18 20* 17 16 18 8 17 22* 18 18 20* 9 19 23* 19 16 18 10 17 19 20 18 20* In order to receive a full TOPS scholarship award, a student must score at least 20 on the ACT. Phase II was only for those students who completed Phase I. During the summer seventeen (17)students were placed in professional interships positions for seven (7) weeksat Southern University/Louisiana State University Extension Centers, local businesses, USDA and/or other agriculture related entities. The participants experienced the real world of work and looked forward to attending college in the fall of 2014. The project director along with the co-director contacted each student on their worksite and interviewed the direct supervisor. The final observation of the experiences indicated the both the student and the supervisor felt the arrangement worked out well. All the supervisors felt that this program was wonderful for the students and the students learned a lot and would participate in this type of program again. During Phase I the accomplishments of objectives oneand twowere implementedwith 20 high school juniors from 10 different parishes acrossthe state of Louisiana. The experiences consisted of: 1)The participants' orientation consisting of registration, rules and regulations, daily schedules, leadership development, ACT preparation (18 hours of instruction) with scheduled tests,campus tours and field trips;2) They also had five weeks(4 days per week) of using multimedia in classroom and laboratory,formal class sessionsin science reasoning, mathematics, humanities,english and communication skills; 3)The College of Sciences and Agriculture provided sessions in agricultural economics,food and agricultural sciences, horticulture, clothing and textiles, leadership development,urban forestry, animal science and independent study. The students spent time (10 hrs each) volunteering with the Mobil Red Stick Farmers Market and the Southern University Urban Sustainable Garden (A Show and Tell Garden). The short courses and field trips were conducted on Fridaysto further enhance the students learning experience. University faculty and researchers, extension agents, USDA employees and collaborators conducted these courses. Topics of focus for these courses and field trips were primarilyon the following disciplines: horticulture, urban forestry, animal science, agricultural economics, food science, human nutrition clothing and textiles and leadership development. As stated earlier, this2-year summer program was divided into twophases and the main goal of Phase I was to enhance the students skill to increase their ACT scores so they may meet the minimum qualification for the Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) scholarship award. The orientation for Phase I began May 26, 2013a residential program on the Southern University and A&M College campus, where the participants started a rigorousfive (5)weeks course of study.Their studiesincluded, academic enrichment programs, ACT preparation, leadership development, and service learning. The Princeton Review administered eighteen (18) hours of ACT training along with threepractice (3.5 hours) ACT tests. They also had twenty (20) hours of core enrichment in the following courses; science, math, social studies, and english, where they received a3-hour laboratory sessionin each subject. Career planning sessions and an indepth look at majors in the Food and Agricultural Sciences were important aspects of the program. The participants spent a large amount of time on core enrichment classes and career planning along with twoother areas, leadership development and community service. Even though, Phase I was intense, the students completed 10 hours each of community service and the remaining time on leadership development. Developing the Leader Within was one of the main concepts we concentrated on during the leadership sessions. We focused on the traits of a leader and what makes a good leader. The students went through hours discussing these topics so they could make the connection to what type of leader theywill becomeand what makes a good leader. They were intoduced to a personality test (True Colors Personality Test) which exposed their individual personalities. In addition, the class became more familiar with the characteristic and attributes of a leader and were able to identify their individual leadership skills and styles.More importantly, the students did a personal SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. Each participant used this opportunity to honestly assess his/her strength and weakness. The participants also received other materials such as the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens", bothtextbook and workbook, by Steven Covey. They discussed in detail ways to be successful at their own dreams and aspirations. They alsoreceived the book"Who Moved My Cheese"by Spencer Johnson, M.D. to furtherdiscuss this changing world and their individul changinglives.

PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2012/09 TO 2015/08
No publications reported this period.

PROGRESS: 2012/09/01 TO 2013/08/31
Target Audience:Target Audiences:The Academy for the Academic Enhancement of High School Students in the Food and Agricultural Sciences targeted high school students who needed help in obtaining the basic requirements to receivingtuition and admission into college. We selected twenty high school juniors to participate in the project. The selection process is described below: Student Classification:Students were limited to high school juniors for these reasons: a) The senior class in most high schools are generally role models and leaders so after being in the project and returning back to school, most under classman will be motivated and impressed as the seniorshared their experiences with the younger students. This will help in the recruitment of future participants for follow upefforts or similar projects.b) Students are closer to choosing a college and career major. c) Studentsneed immediate guidance and this project will provide the direction that is needed. Letter of Interest:The students were required to turn in the application materials, a letter and an essay telling us their interest in the project. This letter was evaluated on both style and content. A brief summary of the objectives of the project and a list of disciplines and careers in the agriculture sciences was sent to the high schools. From this information, students wrote a one page essay stating why they wanted to be a part of the summer project. This essay was a part of the evaluation that assisted us withselecting the participants. Overall Grade Point Average and ACT Score:Students were require to have a GPA of at least 2.5 on a scale of 4.0. Selection would be given to those who scored between 16-19 on the ACT test. Students submitting a SAT score would be converted to an equivalent ACT score. Letters of Recommendations:Each student would need two letters of recommendations; a counselor and a teacher that was familiar with their abilities in science, mathematics, English, and /or agriculture sciences. From the above criteria, 20 of the top students werechosen from the applicants. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Program staff, especially the student counselors, received initial training on how to successfully mentor students. They participated in the field trips and learned valuable lessons about the food and agricultural industry. They stated that the experience gained will be beneficial in career choices How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The implementation of Phase II to provide pre-collegiate experiences and opportunities for students toworkin Ag professional field offices.

IMPACT: 2012/09/01 TO 2013/08/31
What was accomplished under these goals? The Academy for the Academic Enhancement of High School Students in the Food and Agricultural Sciences (Ag Academy) was divided into two separate phases: Phase I (summer 2013) and Phase II (summer 2014). During Phase I the accomplishments of objectives oneand twowere implementedwith 20 high school juniors from 10 different parishes acrossthe state of Louisiana. The experiences consisted of: 1)The participants orientation consisting of registration, rules and regulations, daily schedules, leadership development, ACT preparation (18 hours of instruction) with scheduled tests,campus tours and field trips;2) They also had five weeks(4 days per week) of using multimedia in classroom and laboratory,formal class sessionsin science reasoning, mathematics, humanities,english and communication skills; 3)The College of Sciences and Agriculture provided sessions in agricultural economics,food and agricultural sciences, horticulture, clothing and textiles, leadership development,urban forestry, animal science and independent study. The students spent time (10 hrs each) volunteering with the Mobil Red Stick Farmers Market and the Southern University Urban Garden. The short courses and field trips were conducted on Fridaysto further enhance the students learning experience. University faculty and researchers, extension agents, USDA employees and collaborators conducted these courses. Topics of focus for these courses and field trips were primarilyon the following disciplines: horticulture, urban forestry, animal science, agricultural economics, food science, human nutrition clothing and textiles and leadership development. As stated earlier, this2-year summer program was divided into twophases and the main goal of Phase I was to enhance the students skill to increase their ACT scores so they maymeet the minimum qualification for the Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) scholarship award. The orientation for Phase I began May 26, 2013a residential program on the Southern University and A&M College campus, where the participants started a rigorousfive (5)weeks course of study.Their studiesincluded, academic enrichment programs, ACT preparation, leadership development, and service learning. ThePrinceton Reviewadministered eighteen (18) hours of ACT training along with threepractice (3.5 hours) ACT tests. They also had twenty (20) hours of core enrichment in the following courses; science, math, social studies, and English, where they received a3-hour laboratory sessionin each subject. Career planning sessions and an indepth look at majors in the Food and Agricultural Sciences were important aspects of the program. The participants spent a large amount of time on core enrichment classes and career planning along with twoother areas, leadership development and community service. Even though, Phase I was intense, the students completed 10 hours each of community service and the remaining time on leadership development. Developing the Leader Within was one of the main concepts we concentrated on during the leadership sessions. We focused on the traits of a leader and what makes a good leader. The students went through hours discussing these topics so they could make the connection to what type of leader theywill becomeand what makes a good leader. They were introduced to a personality test (True Colors Personality Test) which exposed their individual personalities. In addition, the class became more familiar with the characteristic and attributes of a leader and were able to identify their individual leadership skills and styles.More importantly, the students did apersonal SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. Each participant used this opportunity to honestly assess his/her strength and weakness. The participants also received other materials such as the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens", bothtextbook and workbook, by Steven Covey. They discussed in detail ways to be successful at their own dreams and aspirations. They alsoreceived the book"Who Moved My Cheese"by Spencer Johnson, M.D. to furtherdiscuss this changing world and their individual changinglives.

PUBLICATIONS: 2012/09/01 TO 2013/08/31
No publications reported this period.