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

Outputs
Target Audience:Rhodes State College successfully reached three key target audience groups during Year 2 of the Ag REACH Grant. The groups who participated in this reporting period were: High School Students (including dual-enrolled, non-dual-enrollment students, and those seeking alternative graduation credits) Community Members Rhodes State College Students - Agricultural Technology The following efforts were undertaken to connect with each of these target audiences in Year 2: High School Students: School districts participated in both Year 1 and Year 2. Year 1 participating school districts' testimonies and word of mouth helped drive new school districts to participate in Year 2. Added the remaining two credentials (Part 107 and BASF Plant Science) to the list of IRCs offered to students in Year 2. Community Members: Marketed Community Member Training Modules to attract local community members interested in upskilling or earning new credentials. Offered a community Part 107 training module. Local community members looking to obtain their Ag Commodity tester Certification partnered with school districts to participate in the training module and exam when the students did. Rhodes State College Students: Students who were enrolled in the AGR 1401, 1402, 1403, 1404, and AVI 1000 courses at RSC received tuition scholarships for each course through the Ag REACH Program. These courses included embedded training modules aligned with all of the Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRCs) offered through the grant project. Throughout the semester, students were prepared to take the credentialing exam upon course completion. Changes/Problems:Change #1: Formal Project Director Change Rhodes State College is currently working through the formal process to change the Project Director Title from Danielle Banks to Adam Wehrman for Year 3 of the grant project. Change #2: Addition of Two New Credentials Rhodes State College will be offering 2 additional credentials within year 3 of the grant project. The Ohio Department of Agriculture approves both of these credentials for the IRC list. New Credentials: NRCS Fundamentals of Conservation & Sustainability in Agriculture Certification Credential provides 4 alternative graduation points Credentials will be offered on the IRC list starting in the 2025/2026 school year. Credential is offered through the online iCEV platform. RSC currently offers the BASF Plant Science Certificate through this platform. Elanco Fundamentals of Animal Science Certification Credential provides 6 alternative graduation points Credential is offered through the online iCEV platform. RSC currently offers the BASF Plant Science Certificate through this platform. Change #3: Switching All Training Modules to an Online or Hybrid Format To complete Year 3 of the grant project, the Agricultural Commodity Tester, Part 107, and Commercial Pesticide training modules will transition to an online or hybrid format. This shift is intended to provide greater scheduling flexibility for participating school districts. By offering more adaptable training options, the Ag REACH Program aims to increase the number of school districts able to participate in Year 3. Potential Change #4: Full Tuition Scholarships for Students Attending Rhodes State College - awaiting NIFA approval To further encourage students to continue their education at Rhodes State College, the Ag REACH team proposes offering a full tuition scholarship--rather than the partial scholarship outlined in the original grant documents--to incoming freshmen who participated in the Ag REACH Program during high school and earned at least one of the offered Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRCs). This strategic adjustment is expected to boost participation in the Ag REACH Program during Year 3 and positively impact enrollment and retention within the expanding Agricultural Technology program. Problem #1 Identified: Limited Exam Sites - Part 107 Exam Exam site availability for the Part 107 certification is extremely limited within the Ag REACH Program's service area. To participate in the Part 107 exam, students must go to an FAA-approved PSI testing center. From RSC, the closest exam site is over an hour away; this is very common for most of our participating school districts. Not only is there a limitation on where students can take the exam, but most approved exam sites only allow, on average, 3 students to take the exam at one specific time slot. This significantly restricts the number of students a district can test in a single day. For school districts with larger groups--typically six to ten students--multiple trips over two or three days may be required, creating a substantial transportation burden. Due to the above stated challenge, one participating school district with 12 students enrolled in the Part 107 training module during Year 2 ultimately chose not to have their students sit for the exam, citing the high cost of travel as a barrier. Potential Solution to Problem #1 - awaiting NIFA Approval The Ag REACH team proposes using any remaining mileage funds within the grant budget to provide a stipend to each participating school district with students enrolled in the Part 107 training module. This stipend would help offset travel expenses associated with the limited availability of exam sites, thereby reducing the financial burden on the districts. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The professional development provided by this project in year 2 included an opportunity for the project director and two additional Rhodes State College Agricultural Technology faculty members to renew/obtain their Agricultural Commodity Tester Certification. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During the second year of the Ag Reach grant, Rhodes State College employed the following strategies to disseminate results to the communities of interest: Rhodes State College's Board of Trustees All results were documented and reported on a monthly/bimonthly basis at the Board of Trustees meeting. RSC Agricultural Technology Advisory Committee The Project Director presented the Year 2 progress report to the advisory committee and highlighted the community impact of the Ag REACH project. Many of the advisory committee members can directly benefit from employing or mentoring students who have obtained IRCs through the Ag REACH program. School Districts - FFA Banquets, Advisory Council Meetings, and Board Meetings The Project Director and Ag Tech Program Chair attended and presented at many of the participating schools' banquets/advisory council meetings to discuss with members the results directly related to students participating from their school districts. Members were able to give feedback and help make sure that the curriculum used within the training modules is tailored to vital life skills students will need when using these IRCs within the industry. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Moving into Year 3 of the grant project, the new Project Director will work to maintain and grow each IRC's enrollment. The implementation of online/hybrid training modules will allow more flexibility for students and community members to participate in training modules even when their schedules do not allow for a set class period to be dedicated to the training module. In return, this will help drive enrollment up for both high school and community members. A new marketing strategy will be developed to help make all potential participants aware of the flexible scheduling options now being offered for year 3 of the project. With the help of this new marketing push, this will help drive new partners to participate in the program within the upcoming grant year.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal #1 Accomplishments: Throughout Year 1 of the grant project, the objectives of goal #1 were completed. During Year 2, the Ag Reach Team worked to refine the curriculum developed in Year 1. The Ag Technology faculty embedded this curriculum into their respective classes, as outlined within the grant documents. While teaching it to students for the first time, our faculty made necessary adjustments and modifications to ensure alignment with all course objectives. Goal #2 Accomplishments: Rhodes State College continued offering both pilot industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) - Ag Commodity Tester and Commercial Pesticide Applicator - and added two additional credentials: Part 107 Certification and BASF Plant Science Certification. Seventeen school districts participated in Year 2 of the Ag REACH Program. These school districts were selected based on expressed interest to the Project Director. All schools were accepted to participate in Year 2, and credential exam fees were provided to support their involvement. The four IRCs offered to participating school districts during Year 2 were: Agricultural Commodity Tester Commercial Pesticide Applicator Part 107 Certification BASF Plant Science Certification The results for each IRC are as follows: Agricultural Commodity Tester: 15 school districts and Rhodes State College students participated in the Agricultural Commodity Tester training module in Year 2. A total of 289 students from these districts participated in the training module. Of these 289 students, 243 of them took the Ag Commodity Tester Exam. 157 out of 243 students (65%) obtained their Agricultural Commodity Tester Certificate. 142 students obtained their certificate on their first attempt. 13 students obtained their certificate on their second attempt. Two students obtained their certificates on their third attempt. Commercial Pesticide Applicator: One school district and Rhodes State College students participated in the Commercial Pesticide Applicator training module. 22 students participated in the Commercial Pesticide Training Module. 17 students participated in the exam, and 5 students did not meet the minimum age requirement to take the exam. Six out of 17 students (35%) obtained their Commercial Pesticide Applicator License. Five students obtained their license on their first exam attempt. One student obtained their license on their second exam attempt. Part 107 Certification: Eight school districts and Rhodes State College students participated in the Part 107 training module in Year 2. A total of 90 students participated in the training module. Of these 90 students, 74 took the Part 107 exam. One school district did not allow the students to take the exam due to travel expense restraints (10 students total). Six students decided not to take the exam due to the rigor of the material included on the exam. 23 out of 74 students (31%) passed the Part 107 certification exam. 19 students passed on their first exam attempt. Four students passed the exam on their second attempt. BASF Plant Science Certification: Four school districts and Rhodes State College students participated in the BASF Plant Science training module. A total of 49 students participated in the training module. Of these 49 students, 29 took the BASF Plant Science exam. Two of the school districts ultimately decided not to have their students take the credentialing exam (a total of 20 students) secondary to the extensive amount of material covered in the curriculum. As a result, students were unable to complete all required coursework in the available timeframe. 23 out of 29 students (79%) obtained their BASF Plant Science Certification. 21 students obtained their certification on their first exam attempt. Two students obtained their certification on their second exam attempt. Goal #3 Accomplishments: Rhodes State College offered all of the Industry Recognized Credential training modules to community members during Year 2 of the grant project. Community participation occurred in two of the credential areas: Agricultural Commodity Tester Certification Part 107 Certification The results for each of these IRCs are as follows: Agricultural Commodity Tester Certification Seven community members participated in the Agricultural Commodity Tester training module. All seven community members (100%) obtained their certificates on their first exam attempt. Part 107 Certification Nine community members participated in the Part 107 training module. Six out of 9 (67%) community members obtained their certification. Five community members obtained their certificate on their first exam attempt. One community member obtained their certificate on their second exam attempt.

Publications

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

Outputs
Target Audience:Rhodes State College successfully reached two key target audience groups during Year 1 of the Ag REACH Grant. The groups engaged in this reporting period were: High School Students (including dual enrollment students, non-dual enrollment students, and those seeking alternative graduation credits) Community Members The following efforts were undertaken to connect with each of these target audiences in Year 1: High School Students: Attended Educational Service Center (ESC) principal meetings across Rhodes State College's 10-county service area. Built and strengthened relationships with high schools within the 10-county region to introduce the Ag REACH Program to their students. Developed and implemented the Year 1 Pilot Program, which included the Agricultural Commodity Tester and Commercial Pesticide Applicator modules. Eight high schools participated in the Pilot Program. Community Members: Marketed Community Training Modules (Short Courses) to attract local community members interested in upskilling or earning new credentials. Developed and executed the Year 1 Pilot Program, offering the Agricultural Commodity Tester and Commercial Pesticide Applicator courses. Changes/Problems:Problem #1 Identified: Not all students who participated in the training module opted to take the credential exam. For example, one school district had 39 students complete the Agricultural Commodity Training Module, but only 10 students took the credential exam. Potential Solution for Problem #1: Encourage school districts to allow only students who are motivated to complete the Industry-Recognized Credential to participate. This approach aligns student participation with their career interests and may increase exam completion rates. By ensuring that students are committed to obtaining the credential, we can avoid having large training module classes with low exam participation. Change #1: Removal of FANUC Robot Certification Due to restrictions imposed by FANUC Corporation and the lack of a sufficient number of certified instructors at Rhodes State College, the FANUC Robot Certification will be removed from the Ag REACH Curriculum. Originally, the RSC Mobile Lab Technician was attempting to obtain certification but was unsuccessful. As a result, RSC had only one certified instructor, whose heavy workload with engineering classes prevented adequate time for Ag REACH instruction. Additionally, FANUC increased the required instructional hours to 32 hours, further complicating the feasibility of offering this certification. Change #2: Reduction of Paid Attempts for Part 107: Remote Pilot Certification In response to the growing popularity of the Ag REACH Program and increasing student participation, RSC will reduce the number of paid attempts for the Part 107: Remote Pilot Certification from 2 attempts to 1. Each attempt costs $175, and limiting the number of attempts will help allocate the credentialing fees budget more effectively, enabling us to provide credentials to a larger number of students within our 10-county service area. Change #3: Potential Addition of Two New Credentials Rhodes State College is applying to the Ohio Department of Education to add two new credentials to the approved IRC list and secure alternative graduation points for each: NRCS Fundamentals of Conservation & Sustainability in Agriculture Certification SFMA Turfgrass Science Certification What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The professional development provided by this project in Year 1 included an opportunity for the Project Director (PD) to attend the Project Directors' Meeting in Kansas City, MO. During this event, the PD presented on the progress of the Ag REACH Grant for Year 1 and gained valuable knowledge and skills to support the continued success of the grant over the next two years. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During the first year of the Ag REACH grant, Rhodes State College employed the following strategies to disseminate results to the communities of interest: RSC's Agricultural Technology Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) Committee The PD presented the progress of Year 1's pilot program to the BILT committee. Many team members are industry leaders currently hiring large numbers of entry-level positions aligned with the Agricultural Commodity and Commercial Pesticide Applicator credentials. RSC Board of Trustees Results were documented and reported at the monthly Board of Trustees meetings. Putnam County Educational Service Center (ESC) The PD shared results with principals and administrators in Putnam County through presentations at meetings hosted by the Putnam County ESC. The Ag REACH Program also participated in a case study conducted by the Ohio Department of Education, overseen by the Putnam County ESC. The ESC collected data on passage rates and student success through the Ag REACH grant to forecast outcomes across the county. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, RSC plans to implement the following strategies to continue meeting the goals outlined in the grant narrative: Goal 1 - Planned Actions: RSC faculty will complete the integration of the Commercial Pesticide Applicator and BASF Plant Science curricula into the AGR 1401, 1402, 1403, and 1404 courses. Throughout Year 2, RSC faculty will evaluate the embedded curricula to identify any areas of improvement. If any weaknesses are found, the PD and faculty will collaborate to enhance these areas, ensuring the continued expansion and effectiveness of the Agricultural Technology Associate Degree curriculum. Goal 2 - Planned Actions: RSC will actively market the Ag REACH Program to additional school districts, aiming to expand participation in Year 2 beyond the initial eight pilot districts. The program will also broaden the range of credentials offered, adding the Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification, BASF Plant Science, SFMA Turfgrass Management and NRCS Fundamentals of Conservation & Sustainability in Agriculture (reference the problems/changes section for more detail) to complement the Agricultural Commodity Tester and Commercial Pesticide Applicator credentials introduced during the pilot phase. Goal 3 - Plans for Accomplishment: Develop and pilot the remaining Industry Recognized Credential Community Courses. Remaining courses to be developed and piloted: Part 107 Remote Pilot Community Course, BASF Plant Science Community Course, SFMA Turfgrass Management and NRCS Fundamentals of Conservation & Sustainability in Agriculture (reference the problems/changes section for more detail). Hold additional community courses throughout Year 2 for Ag Commodity Tester and Commercial Pesticide Applicator Community Courses.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1 Accomplishments: Agriculture Commodity Tester Rhodes State College (RSC) developed, implemented, and refined the curriculum for the Agricultural Commodity Tester training module during the first-year reporting period. This module was a part of a pilot program, enabling the Project Director (PD) and RSC faculty to assess the curriculum's effectiveness and make necessary adjustments to better align with student needs. RSC faculty have embedded the Agricultural Commodity Tester curriculum into the AGR 1000 course, which will be taught to students in Years 2 and 3. Embedding this curriculum into the AGR 1000 course offers students the opportunity to earn a certificate within their program of choice, thereby enhancing their agricultural portfolios for future career advancement or entry- level positions, while pursuing their associate degrees. Commercial Pesticide Applicator License RSC developed, implemented, and refined the curriculum for the Commercial Pesticide Applicator License Training Module during the first-year reporting period. This module, also part of the pilot program, allowed the PD and RSC faculty to evaluate and adjust the curriculum to better meet the student needs. The curriculum for the Commercial Pesticide Applicator License will be integrated into AGR 1401, 1402, 1403, and 1404 courses in Year 2. Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification RSC faculty enhanced the existing curriculum within the AVI 1000 course, part of the Agriculture Technology Associate Degree program, for implementation in Years 2 and 3. This revised curriculum will be integrated into a piloted community course offered in the summer of Year 2. BASF Plant Science RSC faculty developed the BASF Plant Science Training Module Curriculum. The BASF Plant Science curriculum will be integrated into AGR1401, 1402, 1403, and 1404 courses in Year 2. Goal 2 Accomplishments: Rhodes State College developed and implemented a pilot program in the spring of Year 1, enabling select school districts to offer two industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) to their students through the Ag REACH Program. Eight school districts were selected based on their level of interest to participate in the pilot program. Each school district had the flexibility to select one or both of the offered IRCs for their students. The two IRCs available to the pilot schools were: Agricultural Commodity Tester Commercial Pesticide Applicator The results of the pilot for each IRC are as follows: Agricultural Commodity Tester Eight School Districts Participated in the Pilot: A total of 115 students from these districts completed the training module. Of these 115 students, 86 students took the Ag Commodity Tester Exam. One of the eight school districts did not require students to take the exam, resulting in 29 students who did not participate in the assessment. 63 students obtained their Agricultural Commodity Tester Certificate 61 Students obtained their Certificate on their first exam attempt. 2 Students obtained their Certificate on their second exam attempt. Commercial Pesticide Applicator Two school districts participated in the Pilot: Six students from the two school districts participated in the training module. One student did not participate in Commercial Pesticide Applicator Exam. Five students participated in the Commercial Pesticide Applicator Exam Four Students obtained their Commercial Pesticide Applicator License All Four students obtained their license on the first exam attempt. Goal 3 Accomplishments: Rhodes State College developed and piloted community training modules for the following Industry Recognized Credentials (IRC): Agricultural Commodity Tester Commercial Pesticide Applicator The results of the pilot for each IRC are as follows: Agricultural Commodity Tester Four community members participated in the Agricultural Commodity Tester Training Module Four community members obtained their certificate on their first exam attempt. Commercial Pesticide Applicator Seven community members participated in the Commercial Pesticide Applicator License Training Module Seven community members obtained their Commercial Pesticide Applicator License Six community members obtained their license on the first exam attempt. One community member obtained their license on the second exam attempt.

Publications