Source: UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA submitted to NRP
CULTIVATE RESILIENCE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031496
Grant No.
2023-38503-41177
Cumulative Award Amt.
$200,000.00
Proposal No.
2023-05699
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 15, 2023
Project End Date
Apr 7, 2025
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[WAMS]- Women and Minorities in STEM Fields
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
(N/A)
LINCOLN,NE 68583
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Minoritized students in rural areas face significant challenges in accessing STEM education due todeeply ingrained systemic issues that require comprehensive solutions to create a supportive andculturally responsive learning environment. Simultaneously, agricultural systems and relatedcareers are vulnerable to climate impacts and changes in the future of work. Creating a culturallyresponsive nourishing learning environment that incorporates resilience practicesin STEM is key to preparingyouth to address climate challenges. Cultivate Resilience aims to promote educators' ability toprovide equitable and culturally responsive learning environments, engage youth in critical thinkingabout climate resilience, and explore future of work implications. We will support 13 high school educators in rural Nebraska communitieswith significant Hispanic or Latino populations to reach a total of 1,300 students during the fundingperiod. The Cultivate ACCESS virtual mentoring program will be leveraged to achieve this goal incoordination with project partners Communidad Maya Pixan Ixim, Nebraska Department ofEducation Educational Service Unit 10, local school systems, and industry professionals. Byproviding young people with opportunities to develop critical thinking skills and agency, they willbe better equipped to make informed decisions in the face of climate change and pursue STEMcareers to develop and implement climate resilient strategies.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
13204303020100%
Knowledge Area
132 - Weather and Climate;

Subject Of Investigation
0430 - Climate;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;
Goals / Objectives
Minoritized students in rural areas face significant challenges in accessing STEM education due todeeply ingrained systemic issues that require comprehensive solutions to create a supportive andculturally responsive learning environment. Simultaneously, agricultural systems and relatedcareers are vulnerable to climate impacts and changes in the future of work. Creating a culturallyresponsive nourishing learning environment that incorporate DEI in STEM is key to preparingyouth to address climate challenges. Cultivate Resilience aims to promote educators' ability toprovide equitable and culturally responsive learning environments, engage youth in critical thinkingabout climate resilience, and explore future of work implications.Objectives:Facilitate co-creation of culturally responsive, climate resilience-focused educational resources with participating educators in collaboration with content and community experts.Provide experiential learning opportunities to develop students' leadership skills with a focus on inclusivity and equipping students for the future of work.
Project Methods
The Cultivate Resilience objectives will be achieved through an educator community of practice and experiential learning activities for high school students supported by existing programs (Table 1). We will address the following three challenges through the project plan: 1.) systemic oppression negatively impacts students' wellbeing and academic progress, 2.) education inequity results in a lack of diversity in the STEM field and perpetuates disparities in education, income, and opportunities, and 3.) the future of work in STEM and agriculture faces a skills gap between what students learn in classrooms and the skills employers need, along with the need to attract and retain a more diverse workforce.The educator community of practice will address these challenges by co-creating educational resources and experiences that are:Culturally responsive: centering cultural humility is essential for creating inclusive and equitable learning environments to address manifestations of implicit biases.Climate resilience focused: access to high-quality STEM education and the opportunity to pursue tangible STEM employment opportunities to support understanding of climate change challenges and build agency in participating students will be embedded in the curriculum.Future of work cognizant: ensuring all interested parties from a variety of cultural perspectives and intersecting identities are included in creating the future of work and educational efforts to support learner participation in the future of work.Cultivate Resilience high school students will be better prepared to face climate and future of work challenges after engaging with the curriculum and participating in the experiential learning activities outlined in Table 1.Table 1. Plan of operationEducator Community of PracticeExperiential Learning for StudentsEngage in DEI-focused professional development (reading, reflection, discussion); monthly virtual meetings with Cultivate ACCESS teamPeer-peer conversations with Cultivate ACCESS Ambassadors/Undergraduates on climate resilience, connection to agriculture, and intersectionality of climate issuesCo-create outputs such as videos or digital stories to share individual and collective impact of climate issuesCo-create curriculum aligned with climate resilience and the national science education standards (NGSS) in collaboration with UNL content experts and community partners including Communidad Maya Pixan Ixim (CMPI) and Mondo Method facilitatorEngage with curriculum created by Educator Community of PracticeComplete reflection and leadership skill activities embedded in curriculumCultivate ACCESS will provide a structure for the community of practice and experiential learning. Dr. Deepak Keshwani, Dr. Jenny Keshwani, Julie Obermeyer, and Leah Sandall provide leadership for Cultivate ACCESS. Growable, directed by Dr. Jenny Keshwani and Dr. Erin Ingram, focuses on systems thinking and will directly support curriculum development. Dr. Asa Stone (see letter of support) will guide DEI efforts and provide leadership related to the intersection of climate and social justice. Dr. Mike Hayes will provide expertise in climatology and mitigation methods.

Progress 09/15/23 to 04/07/25

Outputs
Target Audience:High school educators in rural Nebraska communities with significant Hispanic or Latino populations. Students in these communities, particularly those interested in STEM and climate resilience. Community members and stakeholders committed to equitable STEM education and building climate resilience in agricultural and rural contexts. Changes/Problems:The project was ultimately terminated early, preventing full rollout and assessment of planned student learning experiences and community engagement activities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Delivered professional development sessions to participating educators with a dual focus on: Culturally responsive pedagogy Climate resilience education Our monthly Zoom sessions provided a foundation for educators to co-create and implement relevant, inclusive, and future-forward instructional materials in their classrooms. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?At the time of project termination, data collection and dissemination activities had not yet occurred. Press releases were shared with each of the participating communities to acknowledge their teacher and student participation in the Cultivate ACCESS program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Major Goals of the Project The Cultivate Resilience project aimed to increase access to equitable, culturally responsive STEM education in rural communities with significant Hispanic or Latino populations. The project specifically focused on preparing educators and students to address challenges related to climate resilience and the evolving future of work in agriculture. Goals included: Enhancing educator capacity to foster inclusive, climate-relevant learning environments Supporting student engagement and leadership in climate resilience topics Facilitating collaborations between schools, community partners, and content experts Objective 1: Co-creation of Culturally Responsive, Climate-Focused Educational Resources Despite early termination of the project, the first educator cohort made substantial progress: Three educators (Lee Ann, Jodi, and Renee') were fully onboarded and participated consistently in workshops, monthly meetings, and professional development sessions. Each educator identified a community partner and developed a curriculum project that connected STEM learning to real-world climate resilience issues: Lee Ann implemented her curriculum in March and supported three students in the near-peer mentoring project. Jodi implemented her project in February; her students' work was featured in the local newspaper,Clay County News, for their collaboration on a hydroponics project. Renee' completed her curriculum development prior to termination and implemented it shortly after. She supported one student in the mentoring project. All three educators participated in post-summer workshop feedback and mid-point check-ins. A final survey was scheduled for May but was not deployed due to the program's termination. Educators were issued partial stipends recognizing their progress toward the full $2,800 award (inclusive of $300 in implementation support) based on milestones completed by the April 7, 2025 closure. Objective 2: Experiential Learning and Student Engagement Student engagement began in Fall 2024. Across two schools, four students participated in near-peer mentoring or independent project development. Early student reflections emphasized environmental awareness, systems thinking, and personal agency: "I learned many things from researching, but the main thing that caught my attention is how easily heavy metals can spread into the soil and harm animals and us." "That helping the world be green and healthy is a necessity. People should also come up with better ways to get the same things but better results." "I decided to cover this topic because in today's age, many of us have contributed to the current problem of overconsumption... hopefully by bringing awareness to the issue, it could open some minds up and... create a change." Interrupted Expansion A second cohort of six educators had been recruited and accepted for a June 2025 start, with contracts and planning underway. All offers had to be rescinded following the termination of the project. We anticipated more than 20 students would have participated in the program during the 2025-2026 school year. Planned student engagement, expanded curriculum development, and community dissemination activities for 2024-2025 were not realized due to the project's early closure. Educator Voice Even with a shortened timeline, educator responses reflect the meaningful professional impact of the experience: "Thank you to all of you for this experience for both me and my students! I appreciate all you do, and I am hoping with all my heart that things will work out in the grant world. What you do to support teachers is amazing!"

Publications


    Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24

    Outputs
    Target Audience:High school educators in rural Nebraska communities with significant Hispanic or Latino populations. Students in these communities, particularly those interested in STEM and climate resilience. Community members and stakeholders invested in equitable STEM education and climate resilience. Changes/Problems:We initially planned to collaborate with the CMPI group as a cultural resource for the educator participants. However, due to leadership challenges, they are unable to work with us at this time. Instead, we are helping the educators identify local cultural liaisons who can contribute to their classrooms and provide insights during the curriculum writing process. The grant funds originally allocated for CMPI will now be redirected to support these new connections. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Conducted professional development sessions for participating educators, focusing on culturally responsive teaching practices and climate resilience education. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?No results have been shared at this time as data collection is expected during the 2024-2025 school year. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Expand the development of additional educational resources based on feedback from educators and students. Increase the number of experiential learning opportunities, involving more students and community partners. Continue to support educators with ongoing professional development and resource updates. Measure the long-term impact of the program on students' critical thinking skills and career interests through follow-up surveys and assessments.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Co-creation of Educational Resources: Recruited 3 high school educators and content experts to develop culturally responsive educational resources focused on climate resilience over the 2024-2025 school year. Conducted in-person workshop in June with follow-up virtual monthly meetings to gather input and support educators in developing materials that address local needs and contexts. Objective 2: Experiential Learning Opportunities: Student participation in the program will begin during the fall semester. Students are currently being recruited to participate in the Cultivate Resilience program by their teachers.

    Publications