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INVESTIGATOR: Besong, S.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY
1200 NORTH DUPONT HIGHWAY
DOVER, DELAWARE 19901

PARTNERSHIP TO STRENGTHEN FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE PROGRAMS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND DSU

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Family and Consumer Science (FCS) discipline is a product of the Bureau of Home Economics Act of 1972. FCS program have contributed significantly to increased access to education and employment opportunities for women, especially children from low-income and underserved communities. FCS program provide training and research in human nutrition, child development, institutional management, interior design, home furnishing, cleaning, handicrafts, sewing, clothing and textiles, commercial cooking, nutrition, food preservation, hygiene, child development, financial management, and family relationships. Despite its contribution to education of young people, recent decline in state and federal funding to education has forced school districts to lay-off or reduce the number of FCS teachers and increase class sizes, thereby compromising the quality of FCS education. This project aims to enhance and strengthen the quality of teaching at secondary schools and Extension programs at Delaware State University (DSU). The specific objectives of this project are: 1) To develop a professional development workshop for FCS teachers in DE and surrounding states, 2) To develop and organize summer programs at DSU and participating schools, and 3) To broaden Human Ecology students' experiences by offering them the opportunity to teach after-school programs to economically vulnerable students from secondary schools in the area. The purpose of this proposal is to provide high quality education and Extension programs for current and future FCS professionals in order to accomplish the USDA mission of providing a professional workforce in the food and agricultural sciences. Delaware State University, an 1890 land-grant, comprehensive, public-assisted institution, seeks to train the leaders and teachers of tomorrow, as well as to communicate knowledge to decision-makers and the public at large.

OBJECTIVES: Family and Consumer Sciences (formerly called Home Economics) is a discipline that was established after the Morrill Act of 1862 and the passage of the Bureau of Home Economics Act of 1927 to promote opportunities and rights for women in education. This discipline has prepared thousands of women and minorities for public school teaching and careers in the extension service, state and federal governments, industry, hospitals, restaurants and hotels. Family and Consumer Science (FCS) was a progressive field that brought science to the farm home and women into higher education and leadership positions in public education, academia, government and industry. FCS program has prepared hundreds of women and minorities for careers in the extension service, state and federal governments, and textiles and fashion industry, as well food related jobs. Bureau of labor Statistics, U.S Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook (2014-2015ed) reported that there is growing demand for FSC graduates for jobs in apparel and textile design, Merchandising, dietetics, education, food and nutrition sciences, hospitality, interior design, nutrition and fitness, communications and financial planning. Despite the promising job market for FCS graduates, enrollment of students family and consumer science program has been declining compared to other disciplines. The contributing factors to the lower pool of qualified and competent underrepresent minority graduates for entry-level jobs in the family and consumer science fields are attributed to: 1) lack of exposure to the diverse career opportunities in FCS, 2) lack of student engagement with professionals in FCS fields, 3) lack of hands-on experiential learning with modern technologies required for the high-tech textiles and apparel industries. This project proposes to expand and enhance our current approach to recruiting, retaining, preparing and placing minority graduates into FCS programs. This project proposes to build a partnership with secondary school administrators, teachers and counselors to develop and organize summer programs that will engage students and showcase career opportunities in the field of Family and Consumer Sciences. The project will strengthen DSU's Cooperative Extension programs and will develop activities and services to meet the needs of consumers and clients in Delaware. The specific objectives of this project are: 1) To develop a professional development workshop for FCS teachers in DE and surrounding states, 2) To develop and organize summer programs at DSU and participating schools, and 3) To broaden Human Ecology students' experiences by offering them the opportunity to teach after-school programs to economically vulnerable students from secondary schools in the area.