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INVESTIGATOR: Augustine, Z. N.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
SOUTHERN UNIV
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA 70813

CULTIVATING LEADERSHIP INNOVATION BY MOTIVATING AGRICULTURE THROUGH EDUCATION

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This project focuses on program areas to include 4-H and youth development, agriculture, leadership development and community and economic development. The main goal of this project is to help students increase their ACT score in order to qualify for the TOPS scholarship. Additionally, the project will increase the pool of qualified graduates in the agriculture, food and nutrition, natural resources, and other related sciences. Specifically, the project is designed to continue to: (1) Strengthen student's knowledge and application of standardized test taking skills through instruction in mathematics, English, science reasoning, communication skills, the humanities and computer literacy; (2) Increase student's awareness of the nature of food and agricultural sciences through short courses and experiential learning activities; (3) Increase the leadership, decision-making and analytical skills of participants; and (4) Provide career development experiences and opportunities for students by working in a professional setting. With this project, academic remediation coupled with standardized test taking skills will prepare students for college. Additionally, summer internship with USDA, state and local government agencies, and the professional workforce will further introduce them to various careers in the food and agricultural sciences and the world of specialized work.

OBJECTIVES: The primary goal of this project is to help youth acquire knowledge and skills to assist them with increasing ACT scores, obtaining assistance with tuition, leadership development, and participation in learning experiences in agriculture, food and nutrition, natural resources, and other related sciences. Additionally, the project will increase the pool of qualified graduates in the agriculture, food and nutrition, natural resources, and other related sciences. Specifically, the project is designed to:1. Strengthen student's knowledge and application of standardized test taking skills through instruction in mathematics, English, science reasoning, communication skills, the humanities and computer literacy;2. Increase student's awareness of the nature of food and agricultural sciences through short courses and experiential learning activities;3. Increase the leadership, decision-making and analytical skills of participants; and4. Provide career development experiences and opportunities for students by working in a professional setting.

APPROACH: The procedures for accomplishing project objectives are:Phase I: The procedures for accomplishing objectives one and two will involve 20 high school juniors participating in activities consisting of: 1) orientation; 2) multimedia classroom and laboratory teaching of mathematics, science reasoning, the humanities, computer literacy, English and communication skills; and 3) experiential short courses in the food and agricultural sciences highlighting horticulture, urban forestry, animal science, urban agriculture, agricultural economics, food science, human nutrition, clothing and textiles and leadership development.The participating youth will receive instruction daily from the certified public school teachers engaged to assist them with the academic core subjects. Additionally, a representative from the Princeton Review Test Preparatory Center in Baton Rouge will provide instruction to CLIMATE participants twice a week. This course will last four and one-half weeks (18 hours of instruction) and includes three practice ACT tests. ACT preparatory software will be used as a supplement to the specialized instruction.The procedures for accomplishing objective three will primarily be covered during the independent study opportunity in the students' schedule. Increasing the leadership, decision-making and analytical skills of the participants are all very important attributes which will assist the participants in life. During the independent study block, the students will become more familiar with their individual leadership styles and learn strategies to further develop these skills.Phase II: The procedures for accomplishing objective four will be focused on preparing youth for a seven week internship with federal, state, and local agencies. The primary purpose of this session is to familiarize everyone with what is expected during the summer experience. Facilitators will focus on topics which will include but are not limited to: understanding youth of today, team and coalition building, proper protocol, conflict resolution, and role-play activities. Additionally, there will be an icebreaker at the opening reception, which will set the mood for the training session. During this time, it is also anticipated that the mentors and their interns will spend time developing a relationship. CLIMATE participants will follow the procedures as outlined in a training manual for the duration of their internship.The overall success of the program will be measured by the number of CLIMATE participants who improved their ACT scores and who enroll in post-secondary study or pursue entry level positions after graduation from high school. The overall plan of evaluation will include the following:1. Change in perception about the food and agricultural sciences;2. Improvement in project participant's performance on post-test in each prescribed subject area when compared to pretest;3. Increased ACT& SAT scores;4. Mentors performance review of student interns.Specifically, objectives one and two will be evaluated by comparing the pre and posttest given at the beginning and the conclusion of Phase I of the project. This instrument will be developed by the project director, co-project directors and teachers and will be assessed for both face and content validity by a panel of experts. The students' scores on the assessments given in the subject areas will also be used as an evaluation tool to the effectiveness and the quality of instruction. Objective three will be evaluated by an instrument developed and designed by the project director and co-project directors and completed by the students before the beginning of Phase II. This instrument will measure their involvement in leadership and other related activities in their schools and communities. Objective four will be evaluated by comparing the post test results from Phase I with the results from an exit interview to be conducted at the conclusion of the Phase II work experience.

PROGRESS: 2019/03 TO 2020/03
Target Audience:Seventeen rising seniors participated in Phase I of the Cultivating Leadership Innovation by MotivatingAgricutlural through Education residential program during the summer of 2019. For five weeks, instruction was provided relative tohelping youth acquire knowledge and skills to assist them with increasing ACT scores, obtaining assistance with tuition, leadership development, and participation in learning experiences in agriculture, food andnutrition, natural resources, and other related sciences. Additionally, the project will increase the pool of qualified graduates in the agriculture, food and nutrition, natural resources, and other related sciences. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic and the shutdown of the state of Louisiana as well as the rest of the country prevented Phase 2 of the program from being implemented as proposed. We plan to request USDA/NIFA to approve a no-cost extension which will enable us to fully implement the project and accomplish remaining objectives. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The high school students participating in Phase I of the program received20 hours of targeted instruction in each of the following subjects: English, Social Studies, Math and Science to include a3-hour lab in each subject. Phase 2 of the project, which did not occur due to COVID-19 pandemic, would have provided the greatest opportunity for the professional development training. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Information about this project was shared via Chancellor's Monthly Report withthe Southern University community - students, staff, faculty, extension agents, and clientele.When the project is completed, and the data analyzed,the results will be disseminated to the larger communities of interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During summer of 2021, the participants who successfully completed Phase I of the project and are undergraduate students at Southern University,will be invited back to Southern University for a one week job training, residential program. During this time, the students will be prepared to work in their professional jobs for seven (7) weeks this summer. The professional internship experience will expose the student interns to professional jobs in the food and agricultural sector in their home parishes (counties), if the situation with COVID is such that these plans can occur. Contingency plans are being made to offer professional experiences virtually for the student participants who are enrolled at Southern University in the event theplanned internships cannot occur.

IMPACT: 2019/03 TO 2020/03
What was accomplished under these goals? Phase I, the residential component was completed on June 28, 2020. During the summer of 2019, 17 high school juniors, from across the state of Louisiana, participated in the 4 week residential program. While here on the Baton Rouge campus, the students received 18 hours of instruction from Princeton Review, to assist with test taking skills; and20 hours of instruction in each of the following subjects: English, Social Studies, Math and Science to include a 3 hour lab in each subject. All of the students increased their ACT scores on the practice test while in the residential program. The greatest increase was five (5) points in the composite score. In addition to the Academic instruction, the participants toured the agricultural units within the Southern University Ag Center, the Baton Rouge campus of Southern University and local historical sights. As an added bonus in the "Building Good Citizens" block of instruction, the participants visited the Louisiana State Capitol met the legislators and observed them conduct legislative business in both House and Senate chambers. Here, the students witnessed first-hand how laws were made and saw the lawmakers in action. As a part of the summer experience, the students completed 20 hours of volunteer work to help them understand the importance of giving back and the necessity of community service. Some of the participants have never visited the State Capitol Building before, this was an awesome experience for them. And, to visit and observe legislators in action was such an educational experience for all of the participants also.

PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2019/03 TO 2020/03
No publications reported this period.