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.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
132	0430	3020	100%

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.