Progress 06/01/20 to 05/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience included adults and youth aged 16+ interested in educational opportunities and career exploration in sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and aquaponics in Hawaii. Through multiple modalities including a) an apprenticeship-based workforce training program open to residents aged 16+, b) online courses open to high school youth and adults, and c) community workshops offered to high school youth and adults, the project provided new opportunities for educational college and career pathways to build an industry-ready agricultural workforce in Hawaii supporting food security and community resiliency in Hawaii. Changes/Problems:Due to COVID-19, the project facedchallenges to attain the target participation rates due to limitations in face to face meetings on campus and the on-going surges that resulted from COVID variants in Y2-3. This resulted in a slower overall rate of budget expenditure and a need to request a 3rd year no cost extension. However, Y2 had stronger results than Y1 with 150 students served, indicating a growing interest in the aquaponics system program and highlighting that the program continues to offer value and address educational and community training needs. In Y3, the project attainedthe overall participation goals with 326 students trained in total through the strong community network that has been established through this project, increased community interest in food security during the pandemic, and a return to campus for more in-person trainings and community workshops. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four of the aquaponics staff attended 5 professional development activities in Year 2, including on-campus trainings for health and safety, as well as trainings with community partners on Native Hawaiian cultural practices, medicinal plants, and animal welfare training certification. Through a collaborative initiative with the Oahu-based Waimanalo aquaponics program, the project staff collaborated on designing community workshops for Maui-based cohorts, integrating best practices and learning activities from the Waimanalo project for on-going WaiPono Farm training models students for students in UH Maui College campus living lab environment. In Year 3, 2 of the aquaponics staff attended an international aquaponics industry conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, attending PD workshops and engaging in network building to present Hawaii's project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated through meetings with community stakeholders, including funders to plan for the sustainability of the project. Six student teams presented their project outcomes in an online Zoom meeting for other students, faculty, staff and community members as a culminating experience. A new Social Impact Data work group was also formed to meet monthly and continue to identify needs for food security data analysis and provide input on project ideas for the program. The online course modules are also offered as free online training resources for other community programs including Hawaii Farmers Union United Farm Apprentice Mentoring program and local high schools. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project engaged in four key activities to achieve its objectives: 1) Updated and enhanced the curriculum that was piloted in Y1. 2) Increased the number of students pursuing college and career pathways in agriculture with a focus on underrepresented, first-generation, culturally diverse and Native Hawaiian participants through outreach to schools and rural communities. 3) Developed new data-driven strategies to evaluate production through student-led projects. 4) Built community capacity through networks with local organizations. Goal 1 and Related Activities/Results: The project provided new opportunities for exploring college and career pathways that integrate work-based, experiential learning and new technologies to develop a work-ready labor force for 21st century agricultural jobs in Hawaii through the following objectives: Objective 1.1 The project updated its curriculum to integrate AI technologies such as remote sensing and Native Hawaiian cultural practices. Major activities: The project team updated the curriculum and streamlined it into 9 online modules, incorporating feedback from the Y1-2 formative evaluation to integrate a more place-based approach. The Sustainable Aquaponics Systems Certificate was offered to 22 students and the Sustainable Aquaponics Systems Apprenticeship was offered to 18 students in Y2. Data collected: Course evaluation data through online surveys and program evaluation data through online surveys and interviews were conducted with participating students and instructors by the third party evaluator. The data were analyzed and reported in a Year 2 Summative Evaluation and reviewed by the project team. Summary statistics and discussion of results: A team of independent external evaluators led by Hawaii Integrated Analytics LLC (HIA) conducted the Y2 summative evaluation by reviewing the update curriculum, engaging participants of the program into different surveys, conducting interviews with faculty and staff, and reviewing teaching evaluations of instructors. Despite the challenges imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, findings include: • Changes to the curriculum involving more culturally relevant material have been well received by the students and were engaging for staff as well. • Students were satisfied with the program, as reflected in pre- and post-evaluations of the program. Students gained significant knowledge on aquaponics and were very satisfied with the hands-on, in-class activities and lectures. Students improved their skills in a greenhouse, aquaculture, and horticulture. Students also felt confident that their experience taught them how to build their own aquaponics system for personal or commercial reasons. • Evaluators matched participants with previous HIA studies with similar demographics (age, gender, education level) and compared the groups on two categories: self esteem and vegetable consumption. We found relatively little differences in self esteem and slightly more vegetable consumption among the participants in the program. • Recommendations for improvement include further hands on engagement and field trip opportunities for students involved in the online portion of the course. Objective 1.2 The project increased the number of students pursuing college and career pathways in agriculture with at least 85% of participants expressing an interest in continuing education or employment in agriculture-related fields, with a focus on underrepresented, first-generation college going, culturally diverse and Native Hawaiian participants. Major activities completed / experiments conducted: The project served 150 students in Year 2 through three educational programs: 22 students in online trainings; 18 students in apprenticeship-style trainings; 110 students in community workshops. In Year 3, the project served 176 students through three educational programs:49 students in online trainings; 17 students in apprenticeship-style trainings; 110 students in community workshops. Continuing education and degree program opportunities were shared with students through mentoring, projectbased learning and on-going student engagement. Data collected: Data collected in evaluation surveys. Summary statistics and discussion of results: Participants in the program were asked what degrees they aspired to attain. While only 12 participants responded to the question, they showed a large variance in the degrees which they aspire to attain including Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorates and Other. The largest category was those hoping to attain a Master's Degree. Goal 2 and Related Activities/Results: In Year 2-3, the project continued to implement its target strategies and programs to support development of a sustainable, culturally informed food systems model to reduce dependence on imported inputs and fossil fuels and support food security and community resiliency. Objective 2.1. In Year 1, the project integrated data analysis techniques through collaboration with a credit-based data science course resulting in four student-led experiential learning projects coordinated during the apprenticeship program that integrated leadership development and peer mentoring in sustainable food systems development. Major activities: Apprentices were recruited from the online course module cohort and organized in project teams. The apprenticeship-basedtraining provided students with hands-on skills and projects focused on a) Optimizing local food production using commercial aquaponics systems in rural communities, b) Analysis of local food production data, c) Designing a data dashboard to present social impact data to address food security issues in Maui County, d) Integrating use of remote sensorsystems to more effectively collect data for analysis and continual quality improvement. Data collected: Course evaluations and assessments of projects were collected. Summary statistics and discussion of results: The collaborative project teams and instructors demonstrated that collaborative work, applied projects and integration of online teamwork was an effective learning experience. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Objective 2.2. In Years 2-3, the project continued to develop community capacity through education, outreach and collaborative networks with local government and workforce-focused nonprofit organizations, including extending the project reach to neighbor island Molokai and serving more Native Hawaiian students in rural communities. Major activities: Outreach plan designed and implemented. Network partners engaged and provided advisory and feedback. Data collected: # of community partners engaged tracked and # of recipients of outreach campaign measured. Summary statistics and discussion of results: 30 community parters across diverse networks were engaged and over 12,000 community members were included in the outreach campaign via email, social media and print. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Relationships were strengthened with community partners through engagement of their members in the trainings. The foundation for ongoing community engagement and outreach established in Year 1 was further developed in Years 2-3 by developing new training opportunities with partners and expanding the scope statewide with online students from other islands, as well as apprentice-based students on Molokai and Oahu. The project also supported its equity goals as 33% of participants were Native Hawaiian. In total the project donated 7,600 lbs of produce grownto local community organizations to support food security and strengthen networks in Hawaii through local food sustainable food prodution.
Publications
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Progress 06/01/21 to 05/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience included adults and youth aged 16+ interested in educational opportunities and career exploration in sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and aquaponics in Hawaii. Through multiple modalities including a) an apprenticeship-based workforce training program open to residents aged 16+, b) online courses open to high school youth and adults, and c) community workshops offered to high school youth and adults, the project provided new opportunities for educational college and career pathways to build an industry-ready agricultural workforce in Hawaii supporting food security and community resiliency in Hawaii. Changes/Problems:Due to COVID-19, the project continued to face challenges to attain the target participation rates due to limitations in face to face meetings on campus and the on-going surges that resulted from COVID variants in Y2. This resulted in a slower overall rate of budget expenditure and a need to request a 3rd year no cost extension. However, Y2 had stronger results than Y1 with 150 students served, indicating a growinginterest in the aquaponics system program and highlighting that the program continues to offer value and address educational and community training needs. For Y3, we anticipate reaching and potentially exceeding the overall participation goals through the strong community network that has been established through this project, increased community interest in food security during the pandemic, and a return to campus for more in-person trainings and community workshops. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four of the aquaponics staff attended 5 professional development activities in Year 2, including on-campus trainings for health and safety, as well as trainings with community partners on Native Hawaiian cultural practices, medicinal plants, and animal welfare training certification. Through a collaborative initiative with the Oahu-based Waimanalo aquaponics program, the project staff collaborated on designing community workshops for Maui-based cohorts, integrating best practices and learning activities from the Waimanalo project for on-going WaiPono Farm training models students for students in UH Maui College campus living lab environment. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated through meetings with community stakeholders, including funders to plan for the sustainability of the project. Four student teams presented their project outcomes in an online Zoom meeting for other students, faculty, staff and community members as a culminating experience. A new Social Impact Data work group was also formed to meet monthly and continue to identify needs for food security data analysis and provide input on project ideas for the program. The online course modules are also offered as free online training resources for other community programs including Hawaii Farmers Union United Farm Apprentice Mentoring program and local high schools. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To further accomplish project goals, the following activities will be conducted in Year 3 through the no cost extension period: Objective 1.1. In Y3, the project will develop additional curriculum modules for its community workshop form that has proved to be an effective method for broad outreach and introduction to aquaponics systems. The project will also hire new instructors on neighbor island Molokai to expand that success of the project there, including implementation of a local training lab on site. Objective 1.2. Through the project evaluation process, the project will conduct additional participant surveys to evaluate if 70% of participants are placed in continuing education or employment in agriculture-related fields, with a focus on underrepresented, first-generation college going, culturally diverse and Native Hawaiian participants through a survey of all program completers. Objective 2.1. In Y3, the project will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating locally sourced inputs including tilapia brood stock (over 800 fish were donated locallyin Y2 demonstrating a high demand for local inputs), and locally sourced fish feed inputs through student-led experiential learning projects coordinated during the apprenticeship program. The project will offer Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 online, apprenticeship and community workshop series. Objective 2.2. In Y3 the project will continue to build community capacity through education, outreach and collaborative networks with local government and workforce-focused nonprofit organizations, including local high schools. The project team will adapt and implement the outreach plan and coordinate community workshops to a diverse group of attendees.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project engaged in four key activities to achieve its objectives: 1) Updated and enhanced the curriculum that was piloted in Y1. 2) Increased the number of students pursuing college and career pathways in agriculture with a focus on underrepresented, first-generation, culturally diverse and Native Hawaiian participants through outreach to schools and rural communities. 3) Developed new data-driven strategies to evaluate production through student-led projects. 4) Built community capacity through networks with local organizations. Goal 1 and Related Activities/Results: The project provided new opportunities for exploring college and career pathways that integrate work-based, experiential learning and new technologies to develop a work-ready labor force for 21st century agricultural jobs in Hawaii through the following objectives: Objective 1.1 The project updated its curriculum to integrate AI technologies such as remote sensing and Native Hawaiian cultural practices. Major activities: The project team updated the curriculum and streamlined it into 9 online modules, incorporating feedback from the Y1 formative evaluation to integrate a more place-based approach.The Sustainable Aquaponics Systems Certificate was offered to 22 students and the Sustainable Aquaponics Systems Apprenticeship was offered to 18 students in Y2. Data collected: Course evaluation data through online surveys and program evaluation data through online surveys and interviews were conducted with participating students and instructors by the third party evaluator. The data were analyzed and reported in a Year 2 Summative Evaluation and reviewed by the project team. Summary statistics and discussion of results: A team of independent external evaluators led by Hawaii Integrated Analytics LLC (HIA) conducted the Y2 summative evaluation by reviewing the update curriculum, engaging participants of the program into different surveys, conducting interviews with faculty and staff, andreviewing teaching evaluations of instructors. Despite the challenges imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, findings include: • Changes to the curriculum involving more culturally relevant material have been well received by the students and were engaging for staff as well. • Students were satisfied with the program, as reflected in pre- and post-evaluations of the program. Students gained significant knowledge on aquaponics and were very satisfied with the hands-on, in-class activities and lectures. Students improved their skills in a greenhouse, aquaculture, and horticulture. Students also felt confident that their experience taught them how to build their own aquaponics system for personal or commercial reasons. • Evaluators matched participants with previous HIA studies with similar demographics (age, gender, education level) and compared the groups on two categories: self esteem and vegetable consumption. We found relatively little differences in self esteem and slightly more vegetable consumption among the participants in the program. • Recommendations for improvement include further hands on engagement and field trip opportunities for students involved in the online portion of the course. Key outcomes and accomplishments realized: Objective 1.2 The project increased the number of students pursuing college and career pathways in agriculture with at least 83.3% of participants expressing an interest in continuing education or employment in agriculture-related fields, with a focus on underrepresented, first-generation college going, culturally diverse and Native Hawaiian participants. Major activities completed / experiments conducted: The project served 150 students in Year 2 through three educational programs: 22 students in online trainings; 18 students in apprenticeship-style trainings; 110 students in community workshops. Continuing education and degree program opportunities were shared with students through mentoring, project-based learning and on-going student engagement. Data collected: Data collected in evaluation surveys. Summary statistics and discussion of results: Participants in the program were asked what degrees they aspired to attain. While only 12 participants responded to the question, they showed a large variance in the degrees which they aspire to attain including Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorates and Other. The largest category was those hoping to attaina Master's Degree. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: The outcomes of this objective will continue to be evaluated in Year 3 through a no cost extension of the project. Goal 2 and Related Activities/Results: In Year 2, the project continued to implement its target strategies and programs to support development of a sustainable, culturally informed food systems model to reduce dependence on imported inputs and fossil fuels and support food security and community resiliency. Objective 2.1. In Year 1, the project integrated data analysis techniques through collaboration with a credit-based data science course resulting in four student-led experiential learning projects coordinated during the apprenticeship program that integrated leadership development and peer mentoring in sustainable food systems development. Major activities: Apprentices were recruited from the online course module cohort and organized in project teams. The apprenticeship training provided students with hands-on skills and projects focused on a) Optimizing local food production using commercial aquaponics systems in rural communities, b) Analysis of local food production data, c) Designing a data dashboard to present social impact data to address food security issues in Maui County, d) Integrating use of remote sensor systems to more effectively collect data for analysis and continual quality improvement. Data collected: Course evaluations and assessments of projects were collected. Summary statistics and discussion of results: The collaborative project teams and instructors demonstrated that collaborative work, applied projects and integration of online teamwork was an effective learning experience. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Objective 2.2. In Year 2, the project continued to develop community capacity through education, outreach and collaborative networks with local government and workforce-focused nonprofit organizations, including extending the project reach to neighbor island Molokai and serving more Native Hawaiian students in rural communities. Major activities: Outreach plan designed and implemented. Network partners engaged and provided advisory and feedback. Data collected: # of community partners engaged tracked and # of recipients of outreach campaign measured. Summary statistics and discussion of results: 20 community parters across diverse networks were engaged and over 12,000 community members were included in the outreach campaign via email, social media and print. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Relationships were strengthened with community partners through engagement of their members in the trainings. The foundation for ongoing community engagement and outreach established in Year 1 was further developed in Year 2 by developing new training opportunities with partners and expanding the scope statewide with online students from other islands, as well as apprentice-based students on Molokai.
Publications
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Progress 06/01/20 to 05/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience included all adults and youth aged 16+ interested in educational opportunities and career exploration in sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and aquaponics in Hawaii. Through multiple modalities including a) an apprenticeship-based workforce training program open to residents aged 16+, b) online courses open to high school youth and adults, and c) community workshops offered to high school youth and adults, the project provided new opportunities for a total of educational college and career pathways to build an industry-ready agricultural workforce in Hawaii supporting food security and community resiliency in Hawaii. Efforts: Outreach: The project distributed flyers, social media posts and email communications thruogh local community partners to recruit from local high schools, unemployed and underemployed adults, and rural and economically disadvantaged communities to promote the apprenticeship, online courses and community workshops. Trainings:The project provided trainings to a diverse group of 102total participants in Hawaiiin Year 1 ranging in age from 16 years to over 70 years of age. 33% of the total participants were Native Hawaiian. a) 13 students in the new apprenticeship-based training program that featured hands-on learning in the WaiPono Farm living lab.30% of the participants were Native Hawaiian and7 were high school students. b) 41 students in online modules including residents on the islands of Maui, Molokai, Oahu and Hawaii. 35% of the online course students were Native Hawaiian. c) 48 participants in community workshopsincluding Native Hawaiian community members with partner Hui No Ke Ola Pono and ARCC Programs, a gap year olunteer organization for college students. 35% of community workshop participants were Native Hawaiian. Changes/Problems:Due to COVID-19, the project faced challenges to recruit and hire a full-time operations manager position until Fall 2020. As a result, there was a delay in the rate of expenditure in Year 1. COVID-19 has further exacerbated efforts to meet the target participation rates due to limitations in face to face meetings on campus. The first training cohorts were not organized until Fall 2020 impeding the project's ability to serve 50 students in online courses in Year 1. Instead, 45 students participated in online courses Year 1. The University is able to offer face-to-face trainings, however, we are currently limited to small class sizes of a maximum of 5 enrolled students per group. Therefore, we expect 10 students to complete the Year 2 apprenticeship program, instead of the 15 students we originally planned for. In-person community workshops are also currently postponed until Spring 2021 due to the Delta variant surge. We anticipate serving 150 community participants total, rather than the 300 that were originally planned for over the 2-year project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project provided funding for two project team members to attend a virtual international conferencecoordinated by the Aquaponics Associationin October 2020. The conferenceprovided meaningful professional development opportunities through immersion in workshops, networking with subject matter experts and engagement with product vendors. The staff adapted standard operating procedures, sourcednew technologies and tools, and designed new training curricula using resources and training materials gathered at the conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated through meetings with community stakeholders, including future funders to plan for the sustainability of the project. Four student teams presented their projects outcomes inan online Zoom meeting for other students and community members as a culminating experience. The online course modules are also offered as free online training resources for other community programs including Hawaii Farmers Union United Farm Apprentice Mentoring program and local high schools. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To further accomplish project goals, the following activities will be conducted in Year 2: Objective 1.1.In Year 2, the project will update curriculum to enhance and improve student learning outcomes by incorporating feedback attained through the Year 1 formative evaluation.The project will alsodevelop and coordinate additional community workshops, including travel to neighbor island Molokai, if feasible during the COVID pandemic. Due to the Delta variant surge, in-person meetigs are currently limited and travel is restricted. Objective 1.2. Through the project evaluation process, the project will conduct additional participant surveys to evaluate if70% of participants are placed in continuing education or employment in agriculture-related fields, with a focus on underrepresented, first-generation college going, culturally diverse and Native Hawaiian participants through a survey of all program completors. Objective 2.1.In Year 2, the project will continue to evaluate theeffectiveness of integrating locally sourced inputs including tilapia brood stock, locally sourced fish feed inputs through student-led experiential learning projects coordinated during the apprenticeship program. The apprenticeship cohort will complete the online modules in Fall 2021 and the apprenticeship in Spring 2022. Objective 2.2.In Year 2, the project will continue to build community capacity through education, outreach and collaborative networks with local government and workforce-focused nonprofit organizations. The project team will adapt and implementtheoutreach plan and coordinatecommunity workshops to a diverse group of attendees.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Sustainable Aquaponics Systems project at University of Hawaii Maui College coordinated new opportunities for exploring college and career pathways that integrated work-based, experiential learning and new applied learning to support development of a work-ready labor force for 21st century agricultural jobs in Hawaii at the WaiPono Farm living lab site in Kahului, Hawaii. The project engaged in four key activities. 1) The project developed new curriculum and implemented an apprenticeship-based workforce training program featuring online courses using AquaTeach, an Open Educational Resources package, and community workshops in aquaponics and sustainable food systems. 2) The project sought to increase the number of students pursuing college and career pathways in agriculture with a focus on underrepresented, first-generation college going, culturally diverse and Native Hawaiian participants through outreach to local high schools, rural communities including Molokai and Native Hawaiian community partners. 3) The project evaluated the effectiveness of integrating locally sourced inputs including tilapia brood stock, locally sourced fish feed and nutritious, native plants such as taro and sweet potato through student-led experiential learning projects. 4) The project built community capacity through education andoutreach to local government and workforce-focused nonprofit organizations by coordinating community workshops and student capstone project presentationsto a diverse group of attendees. Goal 1 and Related Activities/Results: The projectprovided new opportunities for exploring college and career pathways that integrate work-based, experiential learningand new technologies to develop a work-ready labor force for 21st century agricultural jobs in Hawaii through the following objectives: Objective 1.1 The project developed new curriculum and implemented an apprenticeship-based workforce training program, online courses and community workshops in aquaponics and sustainable food systems that integrate AI technologies such as remote sensing and machine learningleading to industry-recognized certificates and experiential learning. Major activities: The project teamdeveloped 14 new online modules using open source educational resources from AQU@TEACH and two certificate programs coordinated through UH Maui College Office of Extended Learning & Workforce Development. The Sustainable Aquaponics Systems Certificate was offered to 41 students and the Sustainable Aquaponics Systems Apprenticeship was offered to 13 students. Data collected: Course evaluation data through online surveys and program evaluation data through online surveys and interviews were conducted with participating students and instructors by the third party evaluator. The data were analyzed and reported in a Year 1 Formative Evaluation and reviewed by the project team. Summary statistics and discussion of results:A team of independent external evaluators led by Hawaii Integrated Analytics LLC conducted the evaluation of Year 1 of the grant by reviewing the new curriculum developed, engaging participants of the program into different surveys, conducted interviews with faculty and staff in charge of developing and teaching the new curriculum and reviewed teaching evaluations of instructors. Despite the challenges imposed by COVID-19 (including online learning, limited interaction with the community, etc.), notable preliminary findings of the program include: •The curriculum developed has the right balance of theory and practice that is well received for a very diverse cohort of students. • Even under the challenges of COVID-19. the instructors were able to pivot to online instruction as necessary. • Students were satisfied overall with the program, as reflected in pre and post evaluations of the program. Students gained significant knowledge on aquaponics through the hands-on, in-class activities and lectures. Students improved their skills inaquacultureand horticulture. Key outcomes and accomplishments realized: Objective 1.2The project increased the number of students pursuing college and career pathways in agriculture with at least 70% of participants placed in continuing education or employment in agriculture-related fields, with a focus on underrepresented, first-generation college going, culturally diverse and Native Hawaiian participants. Major activities completed / experiments conducted: The project served 102 students in Year 1 through three educational programs. Continuing education and degree program opportunities were shared with students through mentoring, project-based learning and on-going student engagement. Data collected: Data collected inevaluation surveys. Summary statistics and discussion of results:Participants in the program were asked what degrees they aspired to attain. While onlyfive participants responded to the question, they showed a large variance in the degrees which theyaspire to attain. The largest category was those hoping to get a Bachelor's Degree.In Year 2, follow up surveys will be conducted as part of the Summative Evaluation to determine the Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: The outcomes of this objective will continue to be evaluated in Year 2. Goal 2 and Related Activities/Results: In Year 1, the project implemented strategies and programs to support development of a sustainable, culturally informed food systems model to reduce dependence on imported inputs and fossil fuels and support food security and community resiliency. Objective 2.1. In Year 1, the project evaluatedthe effectiveness of integrating locally sourced inputs including tilapia brood stock, locally sourced fish feed and nutritious, native plants through four student-led experiential learning projects coordinated during the apprenticeship program that integrated leadership development and peer mentoring in sustainable food systems development. Major activities:Apprentices were recruited from the online course module cohort and organized in four project teams. The apprenticeship training provided students with hands-on skills and projects focused on a) optimizing local food production using commerical aquaponics systems, b) Development of fish feed using locally sourced inputs including taro, c) Designing a fish hatchery to optimize local resources of brood stock, d) Integrating use of remote sensor systemsto more effectively collect data for analysis and continual quality improvement. Data collected: Course evaluations and assessments of projects were collected. Summary statistics and discussion of results:Students andinstructors noted that the hands-on work through projects was an effective learning experience. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Objective 2.2. In Year 1, the project builtcommunity capacity through education, outreach and collaborative networks with local government and workforce-focused nonprofit organizations. The project team developed and implemented an outreach plan and coordinated community workshops to a diverse group of attendees. Major activities: Outreach plan designed and implemented. Network partners engaged and provided advisory and feedback. Data collected: # of communtiy partners engaged trackedand # of recipients of outreach campaign measured. Summary statistics and discussion of results: 18 community partnres across diverse networks were engaged and over 9,000 community members were included in the outreach campaign via email, social media and print. Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized:Relationships were strengthened with community partners through engaged of their members in the trainings. A foundation for ongoing community engagement and outreach was established in Year 1 that wil be further developed in Year 2.
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