Progress 06/01/24 to 05/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience was secondary high school agriculture and science teachers from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Secondly, students in the teacher's local high schools are impacted. Changes/Problems:Increased focus has been placed on the teachers offering encouragement and training to other teachers within their respective states. A Train the Trainer workshop was implemented to develop two templates for use by the BEESTINGZ participants, one a short-term workshop of a couple of hours, and the other a workshop of one to two days. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There were three (3) three-day workshops held in the summer of 2024 during the months of June, July, and August. The June workshop included a regional field day that involved the teachers, high school students, and the public. The theme of the field day, which was focused on sustainable beekeeping, brought in outside professionals as speakers that served everyone well. There were over eighty (80) people in attendance. The workshops focused on two major topics with the secondary school teachers. The curriculum development work was done with teacher teams, and they were led by curriculum development specialist Melanie Bloom, the Co-PD. The in-house curriculum work was supplemented with a hands-onoutside activity working withbees maintained at the workshop location. Participating teachers are establishing themselves as leaders within their communities and have engaged with other community orgnaizations related to beekeeping: One teacher reportedthat a beekeeping club has been established;another reportedthat a local cooperative invited her and her students to participate in a fall community field day that promoted agriculture, and they were invited to give significant presentations at the field day. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The developed curriculum was published as an open educational resource in the summer of 2025 and additional refinement may occur in the coming months. The information has been disseminated at the Minnesota Honey Producers Association meetings, a 4-state honey producers field day, field days in South Dakota, the Dordt University library disseminated the curriculum work over their listservs, and teachers have given presentations at various professional events. Melanie Bloom, co-PI, was selected as a recipient of the 2025 Iowa OER Creation Award, which is pending public notification. This will also increase the visibility of the curriculum. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the final months of the project, the focus will be on dissemination of the curriculum and developing the outline of a brief training workshop so that participating teachers can share the curriculum with colleagues.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Ten (10)secondary teachers from Iowa, MN, NE, and SD participated in a series of curriculum development workshops. Support educational equipment was distributed to the teachers and their respective schools. There was general excitement and appreciation for the support they received which was carried through to the students at the schools. The teachers received beekeeping support equipment and classroom equipment such as models, books, and lab equipment. Two technicians have assisted the teachers at their locations in their respective states. The teachers have appreciated the support to answer their questions, visit their schools to give presentations, and visit with the school administrators thanking them for their support. They have also served as integral members at the summer workshops.

Publications

Progress 06/01/23 to 05/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Secondary high school ag and science teachers from the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Subsequently their students in ther local high schools will be impacted. Teachers and subsquently beekeepers from the four states have also been served through a field day that . Changes/Problems:There are no major changes envisioned. We want to build on the past year to make the work better and more effective. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The four (4) workshops provided technical information and hands on activity that can be used by the teachers in their respective schools. The field day also provided applied training for the teachers. The teachers are also enrolling in the Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program that is offered out of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Many of the teachers have been visited by technicians who have helped them adapt the training in their individual schools. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?A press release was sent to news outlets in areas where the schools are located. The teachers have also presented at teaching conferences in their states. Another press release will go out at the beginning of the summer. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We are planning more workshops that will be a continuation of this past year. A focus will be on completion of as much curriculum material as possible. The teachers will be involved in the implementation of a field day that focuses on the teacher but will also be made available to the public.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Four 3-day workshops for the secondary teachers were held. A field day was implemented for and in conjunction with the teachers, and the general public was invited to the field day. Seventy people (70) people of the general public attended along with sixteen (16) teachers. Resource representatives from Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska along with beekeeping professionals helped administer the one-day field day event. Curriculum development was initiated and developed by Melanie Bloom, the curriculum development specialist who is the Co-Director of the grant. Audio visual material has been developed and will continue to be developedthat will supplement the curriculum development. The teachers have presented their work at two state conferences, one in South Dakota and one in Iowa.

Publications