Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
Urban Bio-tech Environmental Agriculture Model (UBEAM) is a four-year non-formal education project led by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service - Harris County with Collaborators Project Remix Ventures (nonprofit) and University of Houston, Sugar Land. Objectives include improving knowledge among Justice-involved Youth (Youth) that have been released from residential detention centers (some on probation) about the safe use of biotechnology for food and environmental security and about careers in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. Youth (467) will gain this knowledge through 4-H Youth Development, Horticulture, Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program, Entrepreneurship, and Biotechnology programs and activities adapted and tailored for them. Agal biomass will be the pervasive topic in all programs for learning about biotechnology because research shows that microalgae can sequesterCO2 to reduce greenhouse gases and used as a food supplement and fertilizer. Objectives include Youth constructing a multi-station static demonstration site and serving as docents in non-formal contexts to disseminate the safe use of biotechnology. Youth will develop leadership and communication skills to share this knowledge with parents (135) during parent meetings, school-age children (450) during field trips, and community leaders and members (600) during open houses. UBEAM is expected to not only impact the Youth by improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities to propel them into the emerging biotechnology work force or to guide them to a path toward higher education STEM/biotechnology studies but also to allay misunderstandings related to the use of biotechnology, particularly in the production and availability of healthy foods among urban dwellers.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
Our goal is to enable "Justice-Involved Youth" to educate the public about the safe use of biotechnology for food and environmental security through an urban-focused Food and Agriculture Non-Formal Education program. Justice-involved youth will learn about how biotechnology is used to ensure that urban residents have access to safe food and enjoy sustained natural resources. An Urban Bio-Tech Environmental Model (UBEAM) will be established at the Opportunity Center of the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in Houston. It will be a four-year enterprise led by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service with the collaboration of Project Remix Ventures (a 501.(c)3 organization) hosted at the Opportunity Center and the University of Houston, Sugar Land (UH). Justice-involved Youth will gain knowledge and become docents at a multi-station static demonstration site that will demonstrate the safe use of biotechnology for other youth, their parents and families, school children, community members and leaders, and leaders of nonprofit organizations with similar interest and audiences. UBEAM responds to AFRI Priority Areas: 3. Food safety, nutrition, and health and 4. Biotechnology, natural resources, and environments. Lessons being learned will be shared continually as UBEAM unfolds and evolves with the state's six other urban counties to facilitate its immediate adoption or adaptation.
Project Methods
There are three partners in UBEAM - Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife Extension), Project Remix Ventures (PRV), and University of Houston, Sugar Land (UH). The partners will develop and deliver according five overlapping programs.4-H Youth Development - AgriLife Extension 4-H program will be conducted in tandem with the Horticulture program. It is a 10-week program of activities offered on Fridays in the fall and spring semesters in workshops and during the summer as part of the Biotechnology internship program during each year. Youth will acquire knowledge of safe use of biotechnology for food production and conservation of natural resources through hands-on application, utilizing robotics kits, farm technology, and research activities and develop leadership and communication skills to interpret to other Youth and community. Throughout the 4-H workshops, programs, and activities, UBEAM will provide continual guidance and mentoring to prepare Youth for interacting with the public, presenting information in an effective way, and relating learning experiences to everyday interactions, challenges, and career choices.Horticulture - AgriLife Extension Horticulture program will be conducted in tandem with the 4-H program. It is a 10-week program of activities offered on Fridays in the fall and spring semesters in workshops and during the summer as part of the Biotechnology internship program in each year. Plans are to adapt and deliver an agriculture biotechnology curriculum that meets national agriculture literacy standards that include identifying specific science and technologies used in agriculture and food systems and explaining how biotechnology is used to meet basic needs and is economic value. Ample hands-on activities, e.g., planning and maintaining a garden that incorporates new technology, fruit DNA extraction, genetic engineering, problem solving activities, and opportunities for further research will ensure that Youth learn through non-formal education sessions. Certificates of completion may be offered in specialties like aquaponics, greenhouse crop production, and business planning for farm and food enterprises. Youth will participate in site visits to controlled environmental agriculture operations and food system hubs and develop communication skills by demonstrating learned skills at on-site gardens and off-site interpretation events to families, school aged children, and community leaders and members.Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) - AgriLife Extension EFNEP program will be the delivery of a three-week Teen Cuisine that is a six-lesson, research-based curriculum for 6-12th graders which will offered on Mondays and Wednesdays in the fall and spring semesters during each year. This curriculum will punctuate the use of safe biotechnology, including diet quality, physical activity, food resource management, and food safety. Lessons include physical activity breaks and hands-on healthy food tastings and cooking demonstrations. Youth will acquire the knowledge and importance of food, nutrition, and basic culinary skills for their health and the health of their families; learn food resource management skills to purchase nutritious food essentials for their diet and maximize food in efficient ways through planning meals, food safety and better methods of food storage; receive information on different forms of preserved food that can still be a part of a balanced diet pattern; engage in productive conversations about how healthy foods and physical activity can positively impact their quality of life; gain skills needed to evaluate nutrition facts labels and ingredients lists to make informed decisions on purchasing and consuming healthy food; and be mentored in a positive learning environment to develop interest in the fields of food, agriculture, and culinary arts.Entrepreneurship - The PRV Entrepreneurship program is Endeavors in Entrepreneurship (EIE), a 12-week program that will be offered on Mondays and Thursdays during the fall and spring semester during each of UBEAM's four years. It combines technology and hands-on learning to create an interactive course that prepares youth for successful careers in entrepreneurial ventures. The EIE approach builds entrepreneur skillsets through lecture and constant hands-on learning. At the end of the course, each Youth leaves with a portfolio demonstrating the products and marketing skills acquired through the course, including a non-formal certificate of completion that is awarded upon completion of a presentation sales pitch to potential buyers at the end of the course. Youth will complete 12-modules using short answer guided workbooks, computer software programs, e.g., Canva, and guest speaker lectures, e.g., CEO's, entrepreneurs, paraprofessionals, restorative justice practitioners, and community leaders, to develop entrepreneur skills in branding and marketing, financial planning, budgeting, E-Commerce social enterprises, and product development.Biotechnology - The UH Biotechnology program is composed of two linked tasks. Task 1: In-class training on Plant and Algae Biotechnology will be a two-hour classroom session at the Opportunity Center held on Fridays for 10 weeks in the spring of each UBEAM year. In the first five weeks, plant biotechnology topics, e.g., plant food and related products, hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponic, harvesting, and quality control of produce, packaging, and marketing of economically important plants will be covered. In the last five weeks, algal biotechnology topics such as microalga types, culturing spirulina at laboratory and commercial scales, harvesting and checking the quality of spirulina, and the different food products made using spirulina will be covered. Youth will gain knowledge by going through several video, hands-on activities, and slide presentations in the classrooms. A Kahoot quiz will be given at the end of each class and take-home assignments will be given to assess understanding.Task 2: Hands-on training to produce and harvest plants and algae will be a three-hour hands-on high impact experiential learning internship in the greenhouse at the Opportunity Center for two days per week on Mondays and Wednesdays for 10 weeks in the summer each UBEAM year. Youth who successfully complete the 10-week Task 1 in-class training will be eligible. On Mondays, youth will learn how to grow microgreens, leaf greens, and medicinal herbs using hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponics methods. Techniques such as seed germination, growth measurements, harvesting produce and checking their quality before packaging and distributing to market will be covered. On Wednesdays, youth will learn how to commercially produce spirulina using photopic, autotropic, and mixotrophic conditions. Techniques such as culture media preparation, algae culture inoculation, maintaining and monitoring their growth, separation from water, quality control, and use in various culinary dishes will be covered. Youth will also get an opportunity to tour a commercial algae. Youth will be given an opportunity to make oral presentations to share their experiences at an Open House at the Opportunity Center upon completion of Task 2 at the end of summer and will receive a certification for completing the training.Recruitment, Selection, and Continued Support will be led by the PRV Director and other staff of the Opportunity Center. They will introduce UBEAM as part of their GED and other programs. They will give particular attention to those that indicate an interest and will indicate the stipends they may receive for completing the programs. Upon completion, Youth will be counseled to engage in next steps that could lead to workforce development programs or continued academic studies. Every effort will be made to track the Youth for a reasonable amount time, taking into consideration their non-traditional student characteristics.