Item No. 1 of 1

INVESTIGATOR: Wilkerson-Franklin, T. R.; Johnson, A.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
SOUTHERN UNIV
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA 70813

ERADICATING FOOD DESERTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL GARDENS

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The Eradicating Food Deserts in Neighborhoods through the Development of School Gardens project seeks to successfully educate local community people and students on the importance of growing their own produce. The project will utilize a holistic, hands-on approach to gardening in conjunction with the newly developed, self-produced SUAREC Community Gardening Curriculum. The objectives of the project will be accomplished through classroom instruction of the 14-lesson SUAREC curriculum, additional 4-H Youth Development Curriculums, and hands-on demonstrations. Through this unique program, Extension Agents and Associates will certify students, ages 13-17 as Youth Master Gardeners, as there is no existing curriculum which certifies youth with mastery level gardening skills. The overall goal of this project is to eradicate food deserts in neighborhoods through the development of school gardens by educating local community people and students on the importance of growing their own produce, which will utilize a hands-on approach to gardening. In an on-going effort to improve food deserts, which are in close proximity of the SUAREC, the project will address three, aforementioned objectives.

OBJECTIVES: The specific objectives of the proposal are: 1. 80% of youth recruited for the program will increase agricultural and nutritional awareness by demonstrating a change in nutrition choices, which are deemed healthier. 2. 80% of youth will increase leadership development skills, self-esteem and environmental stewardship by adopting new practices introduced during class sessions. 3. 80% of youth will learn and practice sustainable gardening techniques which are transferable or easy to replicate by developing a plan to start a personal, home-based garden for the summer.

APPROACH: In an effort to enhance and increase students' nutritional awareness, the SUAREC will provide classroom and garden experiences to selected youth at each identified school, located in the selected food desert area. Students will engage in weekly activities conducted by an Extension Associate - Community Gardener, which will focus on a different topic. Each week sessions will last approximately one hour at each school location. By using a holistic approach to address the needs of underserved youth in food desert areas, youth will have the opportunity to work towards becoming model citizens who take pride in themselves and their neighborhoods at an early age. Youth will engage in age-appropriate activities that allow them to learn about character and how to appreciate themselves for who they are and not how they are perceived by others. The peer-to-peer mentoring aspect will assist with accomplishing this task, as BR Garden Alliance members see a need to connect youth to the concept of growing their own food by showing them an honest living that leads to other meaningful opportunities for success. In addition, older youth who have some leadership skills will have the opportunity to increase those skills by mentoring younger youth.

PROGRESS: 2012/09 TO 2016/08
Target Audience:The targeted students attend school in a disadvantaged area known as a Food Desert, which means limited or no access to fresh produce. All participating schools are within 5 miles of the University and primarily serves African American, Non- Hispanic students. The target audiences at each school vary by location. However, the overall targeted age groups are 6th - 8th grade youth. At the High School where gardening classes are provided by SU Ag Center staff, the class is an Agriculture elective, which engages students in 9th - 12th grades. This past year, the project provided formal classroom instruction and experiential learning opportunities through gardening as it relates to science. All participants engaged in age-appropriate activities. The primary focus was on youth ages 13-17, engaging them in exceptional level gardening techniques that will make them garden advocates. Youth participants who reside in food deserts may struggle with social skills because they do not have the access to the same opportunities as others in non-food desert areas. Therefore, being a part of this school gardening project and targeting food desert areas in Baton Rouge, the youth developed skills in which they have ownership of and can pass on to others.Youth gained leadership skills, increased self-esteem, increased nutritional awareness, and social skills, which increased social competence. Changes/Problems:During the program start up time allotted by USDA, the program experienced a few minor challenges that were timely rectified. After receiving notification of the award to implement the project, when attempting to contact the three school principals for the noted schools, we were informed that the Crestworth Elementary School was closed due to being part of the school recovery district program. Therefore, it was necessary to find a replacement school in the food desert area, therefore, Scotlandville High School was selected to participate. Scotlandville High was been an excellent substitution and welcomed the opportunity to providegardening instruction for the students. At each school, the Project Director proposed to work with science or agricultureinstructors to coincide with the school curriculums. This affords students to apply and link their new knowledge of gardeninginto science. In addition, students are encouraged to participate in activities outside of the gardening grant that focuses onSTEM, which allows them the chance apply their basic gardening skills. In year 3, the Co-project director left the SU Ag Center, he resigned to take up appointment at a sister institution. The projectcontinued staffed by other project staff. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project provided funds to train four volunteers from the Baton Rouge Garden Alliance to become Master Gardeners. The group attended a Certified Master Gardener Program classes at Louisiana State University . The four individuals successfully completed the training at a graduation ceremony on November 7, 2013. Through this partnership, the Master Gardeners will share their knowledge in providing volunteer assistance to the project by participating in activities at the three food desert school locations. Project staff had the opportunity to participate in a garden training sponsored by the Vice Chancellor for Extension. The training discussed the self-produced curriculum and demonstrated hands-on activities that can be implemented with youth and adapted to fit other age groups. The staff has also attended free seminars and trainings around the metropolitan area that have been sponsored by the Mayor's Healthy City Initiative. Attending these training and seminars have afforded the staff the opportunity to participate in panel discussions, present at workshops at local agencies and a university. In January 2014, one staff person attended the Southern SAWG Conference in Mobile, Alabama. The conference workshops provided practical information that caters to the South for organic and sustainable food producers, as well as those working diligently to improve local food systems. The workshop sessions were useful in increasing the knowledge base to better serve individuals in Food Desert areas of Louisiana. In September 2014, the Project Director had the opportunity to attend and participate in the Project Director's Conference held in Washington, D.C. The wealth of knowledge gained through interactions with colleagues from other colleges and universities across the world was a valuable experience. The cooperation and willingness to share information was commendable. One extension associate and community gardener attended and participated in the following conferences and workshops: Ag Solutions, Technological Innovations for Sustainable Agriculture in the Southeast, Orange Beach, Alabama (http://www.aces.edu/anr/precisionag/documents/AdaptExchInvOrangeBeach.pdf) The project director and one project staff attended and gained skills at the Louisiana Farm to School Conference, Wednesday, May 27, 2015, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The extension associate also attended Southern SAWG 2015: The Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference, January 17-18th, Mobile, Alabama. In year 4, due to limited costs for travel, the staff did not attend any professional training or development, provided by the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Over the course of the program, results have been disseminated to communities of interest via online web blogs and social media portals (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. For example, see the link: http://suagcenter.blogspot.com/2016/05/su-ag-center-holds-graduation-ceremony.h tml. The information was distributed by the SU Ag Center's internal technology specialist. Other distributions channels were the Chancellor's reports to the Southern University Board of Supervisors, which is a newsletter to inform the Southern University System and stakeholders of grant program's progress; the partnership with LPB informs the state of Louisiana, via television, about the current project and encourages youth to participate in gardening activities and eat freshly grown produce. This year's video segment and promo included plant propogation. The current project was sited and acknowledged in the April 2016 issue of the REE Mission Area Newsletter. Also, on May 10, USDA/NIFA tweeted @SouthernU BR "awards school garden program students who increased food access, #NIFAimpacts." Quarterly reports are submitted internally to the Coordinator for Planning and Evaluation; and other opportunities include participating in and hosting local workshops that inform the community about the project's efforts, seminars, round table discussions, and panel discussions. Newsletters and reports were shared with ExxonMobil YMCA to create a broader reach by disseminating information to non-traditional populations, who are not directly associated with gardening but, may increase their interest. Project information was also shared at the following professional meetings/conferences: 1890 Capacity Building Grant Project Director's Conference. September 15-17, 2014, Washington, DC. Southern SAWG 2015 Conference. January 17-18th, 2015, Mobile, AL. Theme: The Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms. Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, Tuskegee University, Alabama. December 6-8, 2013. National Small Farm Conference, Memphis, Tennessee. September 18-20, 2012. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Although the official grant has ended, to further assist with sustaining the project, the project director purchased movable hoop houses for each school garden location. The SU Ag Center's staff will provide instruction and technical assistance as needed or requested by the school's administration. The overall intent for the project over the life of the grant was to teach teachers and students transferable skills so they can teach others who live in food deserts how to grow fresh goods at minimal cost.

IMPACT: 2012/09 TO 2016/08
What was accomplished under these goals? Over the life of the project, youth participants gained leadership skills, increased self-esteem, increased nutritional awareness and social skills, which increased social competence.To accomplish these goals, the staffprovided curriculum instruction and hands-on training to 3,625youth in 213class sessions from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2016. The aforementioned time period reflects a 3-year grant cycle, including a 1-year no cost extension. The project director requested an additional year toreinforce the need for sustaining the project in the designated areas.For the 4 years, programs were offered during theschool teaching period, including9 weeks each summer.Class sessions incorporated each of the performance measures because participants were required to work individually as well as in groups. Youth also engaged in public speakingduring the end of the year joint graduation ceremony, which were held at the end of each school year. Each student sharedwhat they learned during the school year. Participants had the opportunity to taste the produce they harvested, which reiterated the "plant it, grow it, try it, like it" concept of the project. To test their knowledge, participants were often given pop quizzes. For example, youth were given activities and pop quizzes about how to select correct seasonal vegetable seeds, planning guides detailing the appropriate times to plant, and plant propagation. Overall 18 students were awarded Garden Advocate stipends of $100 each. Each class session began with the Center for Restorative Approaches' (CRA) community building "Circle Time". Theproject "instructors" were trained through the CRA training and consulting services aimed for "schools, organizations, and businesses interested in using restorative practices to improve communication, foster more productive school and work environments, and to effectively prevent and resolve conflicts." Circle time allows community building in the classroom& provides a safe space for each student to speak up and appropriately communicate their feelings. Having circle time is essential to youth development and the successful implementation of programs, as instructors are aware of youth's feelings to adequately teach the class sessions. This concept reiterates the need for holistic youth development programs that use gardening for therapeutic & educational purposes. The project brought significant awareness to youth and adults who needed& desired to learn more about making healthier life changes to better them and their communities.In retrospect, the first year showed marked improvementin the attitude of students at each school location. The summary below is inclusive of evaluation outcomes& some personal statements from participants. Overall, 89.25% of participants showed favorable responses to curriculum& indicated they learned from the class sessions. Some testimonies include: •"I learned that not eating healthy food can impact your health now and in the future" •"Today I learned that many low-income households have little or no access to fresh produce". •"Growing your own food is like planting your own money" •"We decide our own future so please decide to plant" •"Today I learned that you can eat healthy and the food still would taste good" •During watch and reflect time, students watched "Food Fight" and stated, "My health is my wealth"; "if you don't eat right", "you have a chance of having many bad health problems"; "learn to read labels"; "choose wisely what you put in your body" •"I learned how much sugar is in the world and how we genetically alter foods." In terms of learning and adopting basic gardening skills, increasing nutritional awareness, increasing leadership skills and self-esteem, and increasing environmental stewardship, students at each food desert school location were taught to: • Identify a food desert and give the definition; were able to identify other areas considered food deserts. • How to choose a garden location • Plant needs • Seed selection/seasonal crops • Plant the Garden: Seeds and Transplants • Plant personal plants to take home to share with their family • Garden safety • Fertilizer • Healthy food prevents diet related diseases • Develop a garden plan and placing it in the right place to get adequate sunlight and water. Each year, the ExxonMobil YMCA, which is located in a food desert,proved to be a great partner in accomplishing the goals of this project especially during the summer months. The summer componentprovided an enriching experience for students in food deserts areas. The ExxonMobil YMCA's Kid Fit Campoperated each year for 9-weeks during the summer, serving over 250 qualifying youth. In addition, ExxonMobil YMCA provided additional Holiday and swim camps to an additional 120 youth. Participants were offered daily gardening opportunities, including but not limited to: Garden site selection Raised bed garden construction, material selection, and placement to also include potted and upside down plantings Seasonal plant selections& locations for summer and fall gardens Harvesting& meal preparation/demonstration from plants grown by the students Daily physical fitness classes conducted by YMCA personal trainers All activities abovewere facilitated by trained employees from Southern University Ag Center, BREC, Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB), Home Depot, Burris Nursery and Landscaping, ExxonMobil YMCA employees, Certified Master Gardener volunteers, and ExxonMobil Retirees and Volunteers. Students participated in field trips twice per week to sites throughout south Louisiana. The trips included the Rural Life Museum, ExxonMobil Refinery, Botanical Gardens, Southern University Agricultural Center, Burris Nursery, Kleinpeter Farms Dairy LLC, Baton Rouge Zoo, Louisiana State University, Clegg's Nursery, and Louisiana Arts& Science Museum. Students enjoyed visits from the Louisiana State Police and the local police municipalities sharing information about the BRAVE Initiative. The BRAVE Initiative is a juvenile delinquency prevention program that serves an inner city zip code (70805)which wasidentified as a high crime area. Students engaged intechnology related projects that were computer-based. They enjoyed presentations from Southern University Computer Science Department (special thanks to Huey Lawson); Thomas Benton (Louisiana Department of Education); and Lenora Brown (Louisiana Public Broadcasting). To assist with increasing physical fitness, youth participated in the Learn to Swim program. At the beginning of the program 2 to 3 kids had limited swimming ability. At the end of the program, all participants had acquired adequate skills to be proficient swimmers and have a water safety background. The participants learned basic CPR, which increased their level of confidence around the water. After completing the Learn to Swim program, someyouth joined the ExxonMobil YMCA's swim team. As an outcome of this project, this accomplishment is outstanding, as youth were introduced to a new concept and followed through to continue their healthier lifestyle changes. Overall, programming was consistent across the three targeted schools tosafeguard proper implementation and ensuredthat all objectives were addressed. Each year, more students were introduced to the importance of eliminating food deserts in their areas. Although thegrantended, to ensure sustainability, the project director purchased movable hoop houses for each school garden location. The SU Ag Center's staff will provide instructions and technical assistance as needed or requested by the school's administration. The overall intent for the project over the life of the grant was to provideteachers and students transferable skills so they can teach others who live in food deserts how to grow fresh produce at minimum costs.

PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2012/09 TO 2016/08
1. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wilkerson-Franklin, Tiffany. ?Eradicating Food Deserts in Neighborhoods through the Development of School Gardens?; poster presentation at the 1890 Capacity Building Grant Project Director's Conference. September 15-17, 2014, Washington, DC.
2. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wilkerson-Franklin, Tiffany. ?Eradicating Food Deserts in Neighborhoods through the Development of School Gardens?; poster presentation at the Southern SAWG 2015: Theme: The Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference. January 17-18th, 2015, Mobile, AL.
3. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Franklin-Wilkerson, Tiffany. "Developing School Gardens in Food Desert Areas". Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, Tuskegee University, Alabama. December 6-8, 2013.
4. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Franklin-Wilkerson, Tiffany. "Developing School Gardens in Food Desert Areas". National Small Farm Conference, Memphis, Tennessee. September 18-20, 2012.

PROGRESS: 2014/09/01 TO 2015/08/31
Target Audience:The target audiences vary at each school gardening location. However, the overall targeted age groups were 6th - 8th grade youth. At one location, the classis an agriculture elective and included studentsin the9th - 12th grade. The targeted students attend school in a disadvantagedarea known as a food desert, which means limited or no access to fresh produce. All of the schools are within 5 miles of the University and primarily serves African American, Non-Hispanic students. This past year, the project provided formal classroom instruction and experiential learning opportunities through gardening as it relates to science. All participants engaged in age-appropriate activities. The primary focus was on youth ages 13-17, engaging them in exceptional level gardening techniques that will make them garden advocates. Changes/Problems:The Co-project director is no longer employed with the SU Ag Center, he resigned to take up appointment at a sister institution. The project will continue staffed by other project staff. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Oneextension associate andcommunity gardener attended and participated in the following conferences and workshops: Ag Solutions, Technological Innovations for Sustainable Agriculture in the Southeast, Orange Beach, Alabama (http://www.aces.edu/anr/precisionag/documents/AdaptExchInvOrangeBeach.pdf) Theproject director and one project staff attended gained skills at the Louisiana Farm to School Conference, Wednesday, May 27, 2015, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The extension associate alsoattended Southern SAWG 2015: The Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference, January 17-18th, Mobile, Alabama. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Program results have been disseminated to communities of interest via online web blogs and social media portals (Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, and YouTube). The information was distributed by the SU Ag Center'sinternalcommunication staff. Other distribution channels were the Chancellor's monthly report to the Southern University Board of Supervisors, whichis a newsletter to inform the SouthernUniversity System and stakeholders of grant program's progress.The partnership with LPB informs the state of Louisiana, viatelevision, aboutcurrent project and encourages youth to participate in gardening activities and eat freshly grownproduce. Topics addressed this year shared valuable information about composting and taking care of small gardens using recycled goods and using technology (tablets and smart phones) to access fitness and recipes to assist with developing and maintaining healthier lifestyles. Quarterly reports are submitted internally to the Coordinator for Planning andEvaluation; and other opportunities include participatingin and hosting local workshops that inform the community about theproject's efforts, seminars, round table discussions, and panel discussions. Newsletters and reports are shared withExxonMobil YMCA to create a broader reach by disseminating information to non-traditional populations, who are not directlyassociated with gardening but, may increase their interest. Some youth participants who reside in food deserts struggle with social skills because they do not have the same opportunities as others in non-food desert areas. Therefore, being a part of this school gardening project and targeting food desert areas in Baton Rouge, the youth developed skills in which they have ownership of and can pass on to others. In essence, youth gained leadership skills, increased self-esteem, increased nutritional awareness, and social skills, which increasedsocial competence. The following Youtube video were made available to the public: Video # 1: Composting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRyXxC-PfdQ Video # 2: Gardening Using Technology and Apps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyWpOX-9RjU What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?As indicated in the project's operational timeline, the three year programexpired August 31, 2015.We secured approval for a 1-year no-cost extension for thecontinuation of the program to teach the garden curriculum tostudents at the three schools identified so as to accomplishstated performance measures. Studentswill beencouraged to continue to utilize the project'sconcept, "plant it, grow it, try it, like it. Doing so exposesyouth to new fruits andvegetables, which promotes living and eating healthier. In year threeof the project, participants learned about and constructed container gardens, using minimal resources and recycled materials that can be transferred to their home and community. During the summer months, youth from the food desert community were encouraged to be active and engage in physical and gardeningactivities, and technology related learning experiences through the ExxonMobil YMCA in the Kid Fit camp. The primary focus issustainability,eventhough the project will expire in a year. The staff will continue to provide programming at the three food desert school locations. Continuing to workwith teachers and the schooladministration to find alternative funding sources to continue to provide gardening activities at their school locations will bebeneficial in sustaining the existing project. Also, students will continue to develop their plans for home gardening, as this willassist with knowledge retention and knowledge-sharing among their peers and families.

IMPACT: 2014/09/01 TO 2015/08/31
What was accomplished under these goals? The projectprovided curriculum instruction and hands-on training to 1,198 youth in 61class sessions from September 1, 2014to August 31, 2015.The aforementioned time period reflects a 10-month school, teaching period and nine weeksduring the summer. The class sessions incorporated each of the performance measures because participants were required to work individually as well as in groups. Youth also engaged in public speaking at the end of the year joint graduation ceremony(April)by telling what they learned during the school year. Participants had the opportunity to try the produce they harvested, which reiterates the "plant it, grow it, try it, like it" concept of the project. To test their knowledge, participants were often given pop quizzes. For example, youth were given a quiz onaphids and solutions on how tocontrolgardenpests. Each class session began with the Center for Restorative Approaches' (CRA) community building "Circle Time". The "Eradicating Food Deserts through School Gardens" instructors weretrained through the CRA training and consulting services aimedat "schools, organizations, and businesses interested in using restorative practices to improvecommunication, foster more productive school and work environments, and to effectively prevent and resolve conflicts." Circle time allows community building in the classroom and provides a safe space for each student to speak up and appropriatelycommunicate their feelings. Having circle time is essential to youth development and the successful implementation of programs, as instructors are aware of youth's feelings to adequately teach the class sessions. This concept reiterates the need for holistic youth development programs that use gardening for therapeutic, educational purposes. According to session evaluations from the Southern University Ag Center's garden curriculum, 94% of students indicated they increased agricultural and nutritional awareness by demonstrating a change in nutrition choices, which are deemed healthier. Approximately, 98% of participants stated that they increased leadership development skills, self-esteem, and environmental stewardship by adopting new practices introduced during class sessions. The statistics above are inclusive of data collected from all three school garden locations. Over the past year, students worked hard during garden sessions, even in unfavorable weather conditions. Programming was consistent across the three targeted schools to ensure proper implementation and to ensure that all objectives were addressed. Students were exposed to a variety of useful video opportunities to "watch and reflect". After watching, participants engaged in conversations about the videos, wrote summaries, and participated in open discussions about their overall well-being. The staff took priority in ensuring the safety of all participants. Quotes from students include: • "The main message of the video was to encourage and persuade people to eat healthier. I feel great about it. To know that people care about other people that much to make a video about it." 8thgradestudent'sresponse to the video. • During watch and reflect time, students watched "Food Fight" andstated, "My health is my wealth"; "if you don't eat right", "you have a chance of having many bad health problems"; "learn to read labels"; "choose wisely what you put in your body" •"I learned if you try things that you eat in the garden, maybe you would like it, also, you should water the garden before the freeze so plants won't be dry". • "It was interesting to find out that many parts of Baton Rouge are Food Deserts" Students participated in a joint graduation ceremony at the Southern University Ag Center on April 29, 2015. Tenstudents were awarded Garden Advocatestipends of $100 each. The Exxon Mobilsummer camp youth had the opportunity to engage in physical fitness, educational field trips and gardening strategies to teach and encourage healthier eating habits. Over the nine week period, youth visited the SU Ag Center's Urban Demonstration Farm, RecreationandParkCommissionfortheParishofEastBatonRouge (BREC) Bluebonnet Swamp, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, the USS Kidd, Zoo,Foster and Botanical Gardens, and the Louisiana State Museum. Youth participated in weekly gardening sessions twice a week with the SU Ag Center gardening instructor. Youth were engaged in the SU Ag Center gardening curriculum and planted a garden.

PUBLICATIONS: 2014/09/01 TO 2015/08/31
1. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wilkerson-Franklin, Tiffany. ?Eradicating Food Deserts in Neighborhoods through the Development of School Gardens?; poster presentation at the 1890 Capacity Building Grant Project Director's Conference. September 15-17, 2014, Washington, DC.
2. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wilkerson-Franklin, Tiffany. ?Eradicating Food Deserts in Neighborhoods through the Development of School Gardens?; poster presentation at the Southern SAWG 2015: Theme:The Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference. January 17-18th, 2015, Mobile, AL.

PROGRESS: 2013/09/01 TO 2014/08/31
Target Audience: The audiences vary by school. However, the overall targeted age groups are 6th – 8th grade youth. At one location, the class is an Agriculture elective and includes student’s 9th – 12th grade. The targeted students attend school in a disadvantaged area known as a Food Desert, which means limited or no access to fresh produce. All of the schools are within 5 miles of the University and primarily serves African American, Non-Hispanic students. This past year, the project provided formal classroom instruction and experiential learning opportunities through gardening as it relates to science. All participants engaged in age-appropriate activities. The primary focus was on youth ages 13-17, engaging them in exceptional level gardening techniques that will make them garden advocates. Youth participants who reside in food deserts may struggle with social skills because they do not have the same opportunities as others in non-food desert areas. Therefore, being a part of this school gardening project and targeting food desert areas in Baton Rouge, the youth developed skills in which they have ownership of and can pass on to others. In essence, youth gained leadership skills, increase self-esteem, increase nutritional awareness, and social skills, which increases social competence. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? One project staff person attended the Southern SAWG Conference in January 2014 in Mobile, Alabama. The conference workshops provided practical information that caters to the South for organic and sustainable food producers, as well as those working diligently to improve local food systems. The workshop sessions were useful in increasing the knowledge base to better serve individuals in Food Desert areas of Louisiana. In September 2014, the Project Director had the opportunity to attend and participate in the Project Director’s Conference held in Washington, D.C. The wealth of knowledge gained through interactions with colleagues from other colleges universities across the world was a valuable experience. The cooperation and willingness to share information was commendable. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Program results have been disseminated to communities of interest via online web blogs sent out by an internal technology specialist; Chancellor's reports to the Southern University Board of Supervisors serve as a newsletter to inform the Southern University System and stakeholders of grant program's progress; the partnership with LPB informs the state of Louisiana, via television, about the current project and encourages youth to participate in gardening activities and eat freshly grown produce. Topics addressed this year shared valuable information that proposed inexpensive means to eat healthier and preserve what individuals have produced. Quarterly reports are submitted internally to the Coordinator for Planning and Evaluation; and other opportunities include participation in and hosting local workshops that inform the community about the projects efforts, seminars, round table discussions, and panel discussions. Newsletters and reports are shared with ExxonMobil YMCA to create a broader reach by disseminating information to non-traditional populations, who are not directly associated with gardening but, may increase their interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? As indicated in the project’s operational timeline, year three includes the continuation of teaching the garden curriculum to students at the three schools identified to accomplish the previously stated performance measures. Students are encouraged to focus on the concept, "plant it, grow it, try it, like it. Doing so exposed youth to new fruits and vegetables, which promotes living and eating healthier. In year two of the project, participants learned about and constructed raised bed gardens, using minimal resources, at school that can be transferred to their home and community. During the summer months, youth from the food desert community are encouraged to be active and engage in physical and gardening activities, and technology related learning experiences through the ExxonMobil YMCA in the Kid Fit camp. In year three, the focus will be in sustainability, as this is the final year of the project. Working with teachers and the school administration to find alternative funding sources to continue to provide gardening activities at their school locations will be beneficial in sustaining the existing project. Also, students will continue to develop their plans for home gardening, as this will assist with knowledge retention and knowledge-sharing among their peers and families.

IMPACT: 2013/09/01 TO 2014/08/31
What was accomplished under these goals? The project has provided curriculum instruction and hands-on training to 1,202 youth in 64 class sessions from September 1, 2013 to August 31, 2014. The aforementioned time period reflects a 10-month school, teaching period and 2 months during the summer. The class sessions incorporated each of the performance measures because participants were required to work individually as well as in groups. Youth also engaged in public speaking; at the end of the year joint graduation ceremony held in May by telling what they learned during the school year. Participants had the opportunity to try the produce they harvested, which reiterates the "plant it, grow it, try it, like it" concept of the project. To test their knowledge, participants were often given pop quizzes. Each class session began with the Center for Restorative Approaches’ (CRA) community building “Circle Time”. Theproject instructors have been trainedand are conversant withthe CRA techniques of training and consulting services aimed for “ schools, organizations, and businesses interested in using restorative practices to improve communication, foster more productive school and work environments, and to effectively prevent and resolve conflicts.” Circle Time allows community building in the classroom and provides a safe space for each student to speak up and appropriately communicate their feelings. According to session evaluations from the Southern University Ag Center’s self-produced garden curriculum, 93% of students indicated they increased agricultural and nutritional awareness by demonstrating a change in nutrition choices, which are deemed healthier. Approximately, 97% of students acknowledged through evaluation responses that they increased leadership development skills, self-esteem, and environmental stewardship through their participation in project activities and by adopting new practices introduced during class sessions. The statistics above are inclusive of data collected from all three school garden locations. Over the past year, students worked hard during garden sessions. Programming was consistent across the three targeted schools to ensure proper implementation andaccomplishment ofall objectives. Students were exposed to a variety of useful video presentations to “watch and reflect”. After watching, participants engaged in conversations about the videos. However, the staff took priority in ensuring the safety of all participants. Youth also learned how to make their own fruit infused water, which encourages youth to increase their water intake for a healthier lifestyle. Quotes from students include: • " This information inspires myself as well as probably many others to do what you love, not just including gardening, but anything. You can also help other by gardening as well. It helps and aids in keeping others healthy and off the streets. Gardening influences positivity”. • During watch and reflect time, students watched Mind Garden (Snoop Lion’s Community Garden Non-Profit Initiative. One student stated, “It [the video] made me want to plant a garden for the poor. It made me want to join a Mind Garden. Students identified the fact that some Jamaicans were not eating well and had feelings of empathy and wanted to help. “ Snoop Dogg is doing something positive he’s helping people with their struggle. He’s making humans live longer and healthier”. “Entomology is the study of insects” “Today I learned that mulch keeps in moisture and helps kill weeds” “It was interesting to find out that many parts of Baton Rouge are Food Deserts” “I learned that plants need water and the crops you grow taste better than from the store” “I learned how to plantpineapple!” Students participated in a joint graduation ceremony at the Southern University Ag Center on 04/29/2014. One school was unable to attend due to testing and their graduation was held on 05/05/2014. Eight students were awarded Garden Advocate stipends of $100 each. The ExxonMobil YMCA is located in a food desert and has proven to be a great partner in accomplishing the goals of this project during the summer months. The summer component has provided an enriching experience for students in food deserts areas. The ExxonMobil YMCA’s Kid Fit camp has operated in two different secessions during the summer, serving over 50 kids in each section, totaling 100. In addition, ExxonMobil YMCA provided additional Holiday and swim camps to an additional 30 kids. The summer camp offered daily gardening opportunities, including but not limited to: • Garden site selection • Raised bed garden construction, material selection, and placement to also include potted and upside down plantings • Soil selection and preparation • Seasonal plant selections and locations for summer and fall gardens • Daily garden maintenance included pruning, staking, weeding, thinning, watering etc. • Harvesting and meal preparation/demonstration from plants grown by the students • Presentations from the YMCA nutrition department on proper dietary selection and preparation. • Daily physical fitness classes conducted by YMCA personal trainers designed specifically for this camp All of the above activities were facilitated by trained employees from Southern University Ag Center, BREC, Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB), Home Depot, Burris Nursery and Landscaping, ExxonMobil YMCA employees, Certified Master Gardener volunteers, and ExxonMobil Retirees and Volunteers. Students participated in field trips twice per week to sites throughout south Louisiana. The trips included the Rural Life Museum, ExxonMobil Refinery, Botanical Gardens, Southern University Agricultural Center, Burris Nursery, Klienpeter Farms Dairy, Baton Rouge Zoo, Louisiana State University, Clegg’s Nursery, and Louisiana Arts and Science Museum. Students enjoyed visits from the Louisiana State Police and the local police municipalities sharing information about the BRAVE Initiative. The BRAVE Initiative is a juvenile delinquency prevention program that serves an inner city zip code (70805) that has been identified as a high crime area. Students engaged technology related projects that were computer-based. Student enjoyed presentations from Southern University Computer Science Department (special thanks to Huey Lawson); Thomas Benton (Louisiana Department of Education); and Lenora Brown (Louisiana Public Broadcasting) To assist with increasing physical fitness, youth participated in the Learn to Swim program. At the beginning of the program 2 to 3 kids had limited swimming ability. At the end of the program, all participants had acquired adequate skills to be proficient swimmers and have a water safety background. The participants learned basic CPR, which increased their level of confidence around the water. After completed the Learn to Swim program, some students joined the ExxonMobil YMCA’s swim team.

PUBLICATIONS: 2013/09/01 TO 2014/08/31
No publications reported this period.

PROGRESS: 2012/09/01 TO 2013/08/31
Target Audience: The targeted age groups vary but are school age youth. The targeted groups are located at three schools in the Food Desert area within 5 miles of the University. The project will develop age-appropriate activities for all groups, however focusing on youth ages 13-17, engaging them in exceptional level gardening techniques that will make them garden advocates. Youth participants who reside in food deserts may struggle with social skills because they do not have the same opportunities as others in non-food desert areas. Therefore, being a part of this community gardening project and targeting food desert areas in Baton Rouge, the youth will develop skills in which they have ownership of and can pass on to others. In essence, youth will develop leadership, increase self-esteem, increase nutritional awareness, and social skills, which increases social competence. Changes/Problems: During the program start up time allotted by USDA, the program experienced a few minor challenges that were timely rectified. After receiving notification of the award to implement the project, when attempting to contact the three school principals for the noted schools, we were informed that the Crestworth Elementary School was closed due to being part of the school recovery district program. Therefore, it was necessary to find a replacement school in the food desert area, therefore, Scotlandville High School was selected to participate. Since replacing the school, Scotlandville High has been an excellent substitution and welcomed the opportunity to provide gardening instruction for the students. At each school, the Project Director proposed to work with science or agriculture instructors to coincide with the school curriculums. This affords students to apply and link their new knowledge of gardening into science. In addition, students are encouraged to participate in activities outside of the gardening grant that focuses on STEM, which allows them the chance apply their basic gardening skills. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project provided funds to train four volunteers from the Baton Rouge Garden Alliance to become Master Gardeners. The group attended classes at Louisiana State University in the Certified Master Gardener Program. The four individuals successfully completed the training at a graduation ceremony on November 7, 2013. Through this partnership, the Master Gardeners will share their knowledge in providing volunteer assistance to the project by participating in activities at the three food desert school locations. Project staff had the opportunity to participate in a garden training sponsored by the Vice Chancellor for Extension. The training discussed the self-produced curriculum and demonstrated hands-on activities that can be implemented with youth and adapted to fit other age groups. The staff has also attended free seminars and trainings around the metropolitan area that have been sponsored by the Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative. Attending these training and seminars have afforded the staff the opportunity to participate in panel discussions, present at workshops at local agencies and a university. The summer garden, “Kid Fit Camp” at Exxon Mobil YMCA had 25 kids from the food desert area that participated in gardening activities during the month of June. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Project results have been disseminated to communities of interest via online web blogs sent out by an internal technology specialist; Chancellor’s reports to the Southern University Board of Supervisors serve as a newsletter to inform the Southern University System and stakeholders of grant program’s progress; the partnership with LPB informs the state of Louisiana about the current project and encourages youth to participate in gardening activities and eat freshly grown produce; Quarterly reports are submitted internally to the Coordinator for Planning and Evaluation; and other opportunities include participation in and hosting local workshops that inform the community about the projects efforts, seminars, round table discussions, and panel discussions. The project director and project staff have also shared the results of the project in the form of presentations to extension and research staff of the SU Ag center. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The project’s operational timeline includes continuing to teach garden curriculum to students at the three schools identified to accomplish the previously stated performance measures. In year one, the students learned about in-ground gardens with rows, how to identify the ideal spot for the garden, learned about soil samples, and planting and harvesting. They experienced the “plant it, grow it, try it, like it concept of the project. In year two of the project, the focus is to provide information demonstrate to participants the different types of gardens that may be constructed at school, home, and around the community using minimal resources. The youth at the three schools will construct raised bed gardens in the fall and spring school year. During the summer months when youth are sedentary, they are encouraged to participate in the ExxonMobil YMCA summer component of the project, which provides physical activity, gardening activities, and technology related learning experiences.

IMPACT: 2012/09/01 TO 2013/08/31
What was accomplished under these goals? The project has provided curriculum instruction and hands-on training to over 300 youth in 50 class sessions from November 2012 to August 2013. The class sessions incorporated each of the planned performance measures because youth were required to work individually as well as in groups. Youth also engaged in public speaking at the end of the year graduation ceremony by presenting what they learned during the school year. They had the opportunity to try the produce they harvested, which reiterates the “plant it, grow it, try it, like it” concept of the project. Students at Scotlandville Middle School showed favorable responses to curriculum and hands-on activities averaging 95% for B Class and 97% for the A Class, which indicated that they learned from the 16 lessons during the first year. Students at Scotlandville High School showed favorable responses to curriculum and hands-on activities averaging 91%, which indicated that they learned from the 14 lessons during the first year. Southern Lab School showed favorable responses to curriculum and hands-on activities averaging 94%, which indicated that they learned from the 19 sessions they attended during the first year of the project. Over the past year, students worked hard during garden sessions, even in unfavorable weather conditions. However, the staff took priority in ensuring the safety of all participants. Some statements from students at Scotlandville Middle include: “I learned that no eating healthy food can impact your health now and in the future” “Today I learned that many low-income households have little or no access to fresh produce”. “Growing your own food is like planting your own money” “We decide our own future so please decide to plant” Statement from students at Southern Lab School: “My school is located in a food desert” “Pull weeds to save plants” “learned how weeds take nutrition out of the plants” “I watched a video about Joseph Fields Farm and it was inspiring and educational” Statement from students at Scotlandville High School: “Farmers help a lot of people” “Today I learned that you can eat healthy and the food still would taste good” “I tried a Kumquat” “From the movie Ron Finley was saying that we should be gangster of the garden and our weapon of choice should be a shovel, and that drive thru are killing more than drive bys”. In terms of learning and adopting basic gardening skills, increasing nutritional awareness, increasing leadership skills and self-esteem, and increasing environmental stewardship, students at each food desert school location were taught to: Identify a food desert and give the definition; were able to identify other areas considered food deserts. How to choose a garden location Plant needs Seed selection/seasonal crops Plant the Garden: Seeds and Transplants Plant personal plants to take home to share with their family Garden safety Fertilizer Healthy food prevents diet related diseases Develop a garden plan and placing it in the right place to get adequate sunlight and water. What to plant in Louisiana climate

PUBLICATIONS: 2012/09/01 TO 2013/08/31
1. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Franklin-Wilkerson, Tiffany. "Developing School Gardens in Food Desert Areas". National Small Farm Conference, Memphis, Tennessee. September 18-20, 2012.
2. Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2013 Citation: Franklin-Wilkerson, Tiffany. "Developing School Gardens in Food Desert Areas". Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, Tuskegee University, Alabama. December 6-8, 2013.