Progress 09/01/24 to 06/30/25
Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, our project efforts were primarily focused on engaging underrepresented and underserved student populations in rural Eastern Oregon. These included Latinxyouth, low-income students, and other historically marginalized minority groups--audiences that align with the core outreach priorities stated in our original project goals. These populations were specifically targeted due to persistent disparities in access to STEM education and career pathways in agriculture and natural resource fields. Our intention was to reduce these disparities by delivering high-quality, hands-on, and culturally responsive educational experiences in precision agriculture and related disciplines. The primary geographic focus of our outreach was in Union, Baker, Grant, and Morrow counties, where schools serve student bodies with significant proportions of our target demographics. Over the course of this reporting period, we worked directly with the following schools and educational centers: Powder Valley Schools (North Powder, OR) Haines Elementary School (Haines, OR) Baker Middle School and Baker High School (Baker City, OR) SAGE Center (Sustainable Agriculture and Energy Center) in Boardman, OR Aviation Careers Day (John Day, OR) Grant County Ag and Natural Resource Day (John Day, OR) These locations were chosen due to a combination of demographic fit and strategic partnership potential with local educators who are committed to enhancing STEM and agricultural learning for their student populations. Changes/Problems:During the reporting period, two significant challenges affected the implementation and timeline of our planned project activities. While core objectives remain intact, adjustments to our approach were necessary in response to these unforeseen circumstances. 1. Loss of a Key High School Partner Teacher One of the high school agricultural science teachers who had been actively collaborating with our team on curriculum module development unexpectedly passed away during the reporting period. This educator played a central role in aligning content with local Career and Technical Education (CTE) needs. Hisloss was deeply felt by both their school community and our project team. This adjustment delayed feedback collection and slowed our progress in finalizing the first full set of curriculum materials. 2. Principal Investigator Health-Related Constraints Health issues experienced by the project's Principal Investigator (PI) limited hisability to attend and lead all scheduled outreach events involving the mobile precision agriculture laboratory (MPAL). Thisresulted in some reduction in the depth of direct engagement planned for the PI in guiding onsite instruction and teacher professional development.Despite these challenges, the project team adapted to maintain momentum across all major goals. No structural changes to project scope or deliverables were required during this period. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Informal training opportunities have taken place/interest generated in formal training during each school and community visit. I am working with the administration of my department and school to devlop a workshop to provide this training with an anticipated date of summer 2026. 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?This is the final reporting period for the grant.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period, substantial progress was made toward achieving the major goals and objectives of the project. Our efforts focused on outreach, engagement, curriculum development, professional development, and integration of precision agriculture (PA) tools and technologies into both high school and community college settings. Below is a summary of accomplishments organized around the project's primary goals and objectives: 1. Promoting Precision Agriculture via Mobile Unit Outreach We successfully deployed our mobile precision agriculture lab (MPAL) to high schools and community education sites across Eastern Oregon. Visits were conducted at Powder Valley Schools, Haines Elementary, Baker Middle School, Baker High School, the SAGE Center in Boardman, Aviation Careers Day, and Grant County Ag and Natural Resource Day. These visits included hands-on demonstrations of PA technologies such as soil sensors, GPS systems, and multispectral drone imagery. Students interacted directly with state-of-the-art tools, including yield mapping software and variable rate application models. This mobile outreach effort generated substantial student interest in agricultural technologies and career pathways, particularly among Latinxand low-income students. 2. Partnering with CTE Teachers to Develop PA Curriculum Modules In collaboration with local high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructors, we co-developed PA-focused curriculum modules tailored for classroom use with the MPAL. These included lesson plans and learning activities on topics such as soil variability, yield mapping, and data-driven decision making. 3. Collaborating with OSU Faculty and Industry Partners to Provide Internships Foundational planning was conducted with Oregon State University (OSU) faculty and local agribusiness partners to establish paid summer internships for high school students. While paid internships were not deployed during this reporting cycle, students completed capstone projects with OSU research factulty at the Colubia Basin Agricultural Research (CBARC) Station. One of these students is from a low-income Latinx household and is now in a paid internship with Threemile Canyon Farms in Boardman, OR. 4. Integrating MPAL and PA Technologies into BMCC Agriculture Classes BMCC (Blue Mountain Community College) agriculture faculty successfully integrated the mobile PA lab and related tools into existing courses, such as Introduction to Precision Agriculture, Range Science, andCrop Production. Students participated in labs using multispectral imaging, variable rate prescription development, and data layering from soil, yield, and NDVI sources. These hands-on activities enhanced student understanding of technology applications in modern farming and aligned well with emerging industry needs. 5. Engaging Students in State-of-the-Art Precision Agriculture Tools More than 250 students across multiple school sites and career events were introduced to precision ag tools through both in-class presentations and mobile lab sessions. Students engaged with GPS mapping, drone imagery interpretation, and sensor-based data analysis. These efforts directly supported our objective to expose students to current agricultural innovations and stimulate interest in agricultural post-secondary educational paths and agriculturalcareers. 6. Increasing Dual Credit Participation Through partnership discussions with regional CTE instructors and school counselors, we identified pathways for students to earn dual credit for agriculture courses offered by BMCC. Materials were distributed, and interested instructors were provided information on how to enroll. 7. Supporting Hispanic and Underrepresented Students Targeted outreach efforts focused on schools with significant Hispanic and low-income populations. Hispanic students actively participated in PA activities, including interactive drone mapping and prescription zone modeling. 8. Providing Professional Development for CTE Teachers and FFA Sponsors Introductory PD sessions will be delivered to regional high school CTE and FFA instructors once the workshop procedures and programming are developed and approved by Blue Mountain Community College. It is anticipated this will occur summer of 2026.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 06/19/25
Outputs
Target Audience:During the life of this project, our efforts were primarily focused on engaging underrepresented and underserved student populations in rural Eastern Oregon. These included Latinx youth, low-income students, and other historically marginalized minority groups--audiences that align with the core outreach priorities stated in our original project goals. These populations were specifically targeted due to persistent disparities in access to STEM education and career pathways in agriculture and natural resource fields. Our intention was to reduce these disparities by delivering high-quality, hands-on, and culturally responsive educational experiences in precision agriculture and related disciplines. The primary geographic focus of our outreach was in Umatilla, Union, Baker, Grant, and Morrow counties, where schools serve student bodies with significant proportions of our target demographics. Over the course of this project, we worked directly with the following schools and educational centers: Heppner High School (Heppnder, OR) Ione Charter School (Ione, OR) Hermiston High School (Hermiston, OR) Riverside High School (Boardmand, OR) Irrigon High School (Irrigon, OR) Pilot Rock High School (Pilot Rock, OR) Weston McEwen (Athena, OR) Sunridge Middle School (Pendleton, OR) Pendleton Career Connect Conference (Pendleton, OR) Hermiston Home and Ag Expo (Hermiston, OR) Oregon State University Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center Field Day (Adams, OR) Oregon State FFA Convention (Redmond, OR) Powder Valley Schools (North Powder, OR) Haines Elementary School (Haines, OR) Baker Middle School and Baker High School (Baker City, OR) SAGE Center (Sustainable Agriculture and Energy Center) in Boardman, OR Aviation Careers Day (John Day, OR) Grant County Ag and Natural Resource Day (John Day, OR) These locations were chosen due to a combination of demographic fit and strategic partnership potential with local educators who are committed to enhancing STEM and agricultural learning for their student populations. Changes/Problems:During the reporting period, two significant challenges affected the implementation and timeline of our planned project activities. While core objectives remain intact, adjustments to our approach were necessary in response to these unforeseen circumstances. 1. Loss of a Key High School Partner Teacher One of the high school agricultural science teachers who had been actively collaborating with our team on curriculum module development unexpectedly passed away during the reporting period. This educator played a central role in aligning content with local Career and Technical Education (CTE) needs. His loss was deeply felt by both their school community and our project team. This adjustment delayed feedback collection and slowed our progress in finalizing the first full set of curriculum materials. Principal Investigator Health-Related Constraints Health issues experienced by the project's Principal Investigator (PI) limited his ability to attend and lead all scheduled outreach events involving the mobile precision agriculture laboratory (MPAL). This resulted in some reduction in the depth of direct engagement planned for the PI in guiding onsite instruction and teacherprofessional development. Despite these challenges, the project team adapted to maintain momentum across all major goals. No structural changes to project scope or deliverables were required during this period. Difficulty Recruiting Hispanic Students One significant challenge encountered during this projectwas in the recruitment and engagement of members of the regional Hispanicpopulation who are currently employed in fieldwork and other entry-level agricultural labor roles. While outreach efforts were designed to promote upward mobility and educational opportunities in precision agriculture (PA), a general there exists a general skepticism or hesitation regarding the idea of transitioning into higher-skilled or technology-based positions within the agricultural industry. This hesitation appears to be rooted in longstanding socio-economic and cultural factors, including generational norms, limited exposure to post-secondary educational pathways, and the perception that advanced agricultural technologies are inaccessible or not meant for individuals from their background. As a result, we have made a strategic adjustment in our recruitment and messaging approach. With another grant, we are able to provide two to three scholarships for hispanic students to enter the Precision Agriculture Program at BMCC. Ultimately, rather than focusing solely on technical content and career pathways, we are plan to incorporatemore culturally responsive storytelling, emphasizing these future students, and the two recent hispanic graduates, as role models from similar backgrounds who have successfully transitioned from fieldwork into technical or management roles in agriculture. We are also strengthening partnerships with trusted community liaisons, such as the Latino Business Network,and bilingual educators who can act as intermediaries and advocates, helping build trust and credibility within these communities. While this is an ongoing challenge, we believe that by adjusting our approach to include more culturally relevant narratives and relationship-driven outreach, we can gradually shift perceptions and improve engagement with this critical target audience. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Informal training opportunities have taken place/interest generated in formal training during each school and community visit. I am working with the administration of my department and BMCC to devlop a workshop to provide this training with an anticipated date of summer 2026. 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?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the life of this project, substantial progress was made toward achieving the major goals and objectives of the project. Our efforts focused on outreach, engagement, curriculum development, professional development, and integration of precision agriculture (PA) tools and technologies into both high school and community college settings. Below is a summary of accomplishments organized around the project's primary goals and objectives: Promoting Precision Agriculture via Mobile Unit Outreach We successfully deployed our mobile precision agriculture lab (MPAL) to high schools and community education sites across Eastern Oregon. Visits were conducted at Sundridge Middle School, Riverside High School, Irrigon High School, Hermiston High School, Heppner High School, Ione Charter School, OSU CBARC Field Day, Hermiston Home and Ag Expo, Powder Valley Schools, Haines Elementary, Baker Middle School, Baker High School, the SAGE Center in Boardman, Aviation Careers Day, and Grant County Ag and Natural Resource Day. These visits included hands-on demonstrations of PA technologies such as soil sensors, GPS systems, and multispectral drone imagery. Students interacted directly with state-of-the-art tools, including yield mapping software and variable rate application models. This mobile outreach effort generated substantial student interest in agricultural technologies and career pathways, particularly among Latinx and low-income students. Partnering with CTE Teachers to Develop PA Curriculum Modules In collaboration with local high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructors, we co-developed PA focused curriculum modules tailored for classroom use with the MPAL. These included lesson plans and learning activities on topics such as soil variability, yield mapping, and data-driven decision making. Collaborating with OSU Faculty and Industry Partners to Provide Internships Foundational planning was conducted with Oregon State University (OSU) faculty and local agribusiness partners to establish paid summer internships for high school students. While paid internships were not deployed during this reporting cycle, students completed capstone projects with OSU research factulty each year of this project at the Colubia Basin Agricultural Research (CBARC) Station. One of these students is from a low-income Latinx household and is now in a paid internship with Threemile Canyon Farms in Boardman, OR. Integrating MPAL and PA Technologies into BMCC Agriculture Classes BMCC (Blue Mountain Community College) agriculture faculty successfully integrated the mobile PA lab and related tools into existing courses, such as Introduction to Precision Agriculture, Range Science, and Crop Production.Students participated in labs using multispectral imaging, variable rate prescription development, and data layering from soil, yield, and NDVI sources. These hands-on activities enhanced student understanding of technologyapplications in modern farming and aligned well with emerging industry needs. Engaging Students in State-of-the-Art Precision Agriculture Tools Well more than 500students across multiple school sites and career events were introduced to precision ag tools through both in-class presentations and mobile lab sessions during the life of this project. Students engaged with GPS mapping, drone imagery interpretation, and sensor-based data analysis. These efforts directly supported our objective to expose students to current agricultural innovations and stimulate interest in agricultural post-secondary educational paths and agricultural careers. Increasing Dual Credit Participation Through partnership discussions with regional CTE instructors and school counselors, we identified pathways for students to earn dual credit for agriculture courses offered by BMCC. Materials were distributed, and interested instructors were provided information on how to enroll. Supporting Hispanic and Underrepresented Students Targeted outreach efforts focused on schools with significant Hispanic and low-income populations. Hispanic students actively participated in PA activities, including interactive drone mapping and prescription zone modeling. During this project, two hispanic students were recruited into the Precision Agriculture program at BMCC, succcessfully completed thier degree, and gained employment upon graduation in the precision ag industry. Providing Professional Development for CTE Teachers and FFA Sponsors Introductory PD sessions will be delivered to regional high school CTE and FFA instructors once the workshop procedures and programming are developed and approved by Blue Mountain Community College. It is anticipated this will occur summer of 2026.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The majority of this reporting period was interrupted by two major health issues that prevented me from attending previously planned activities with the Mobile Precision Agriculture Laboratory. However, prior to these health issuesI was able to attend a few events. I was invited to the Hermiston Home and Ag Expo to perform a drone demonstration with the mobile lab on two consectuvive days. This involved a short speech and question and answer periord talking about the uses of drones in agriculture and how I use our drones in the Precision Agricutlure degree program, followed by a flight demonstration. Estimated attendance was 40 people total for both days. In March, I was invited to the Pendleton Career Connect Conference at the Pendleton Convent Centerwhere regional high school students are given the opportunity to visit with many industry, college/university, and military representatives. Students are given a list of vendorsa head of time so they can focus thier time on what interests them most. I was given an outdoor space for the mobile and was able to engage with 30 students for the two sessions I was given. Also in March, I attended the Oregon FFA State Convention with our Ag Department. For this event I utilized our precision agriculture simulator. The simulator uses the popular Farming Simulator game and the precision agriculture add-ons for the game, a steering wheel, foot petals, and a side panel to simulate a tractor cab. I was able to engage direclty with 30 students. More events were planned for the summer, however between a surgery, its recovery, and another major health issue, I had to cancel those events. I am still not out of the woods yet, but more high school visits are planned for the 24-25 school year. Changes/Problems:The biggest issue I have faced this reporting period has been several months of poor health and healing from a surgery that kept me from engaging with more schools and previously scheduled community events. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Due to my health issues, I was not able to engage with CTE and FFA teachers this summer. Plans are being made to offer professional development opportunities next summer. 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?During the next reporting period, the plan is to continue with the successful school visits. This will largely depend on the recovery of my health. At this time, I am very limited in what I can do. I am in conversations with our school administration about hosting a professional development event next summer for area CTE and FFA instructors on UAS and Precision Agriculture. Additionally, I will participate in community events such as local parades, Fourth of July celebrations, OSU Field Days, etc., as I have done in the past.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Major accomplishments achieved during this reporting period have been the engagement of area high school, middle school, and elementary school students in the use of precision agriculture equipment and practicies. These school visits also increased awareness for students, teachers, and councilors on the job opportunities in precision agriculture. Many of our schools have a significant hispanic population which provides a wonderful opportunity to reach these students.
Publications
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