Progress 04/15/23 to 04/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences in the Pine Bluff School district include PreK-12 students, undergraduate students, teachers, staff, administrators, and the community. Pine Bluff Lighthouse Charter School (PBLCS), a Title 1 school, serves a population of extremely high-poverty students with 98% Black. Forrest Park/Greenville Pre-K enrolls 99% economically disadvantaged minority students. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Child Development Center, Pine Bluff Junior High school and (Waston Chapel Junior School-minority enrollment is 90% and 74.9% of students are economically disadvantaged). Jack Robey Middle/Junior School and Pine Bluff High school are all 98% Black. The UAF team has focused on schools in the Fayetteville School District. The UAF team together with our project partner has served eight elementary schools: 1) Owl Creek (minority enrollment 65%; 2) Washington (minority enrollment 44%; 3) Holcomb (minority enrollment 30%); 4) Butterfield (minority enrollment 35%; 5) Asbell (minority enrollment 65%; 6) Happy Hollow (minority enrollment36%); 7) Vandergriff (minority enrollment 19 %); and 8) Leverett (minority enrollment 48%). The team also served one high school, ALLPS School of Innovation. This school offers programs and services to support students whose educational needs are not met by traditional schools. The school's minority student enrollment is 61%. Changes/Problems:Two schools in this project closed permanently at the end of the 2023 academic school year. Two undergraduate students graduated from the project at UAPB, while one undergraduate student graduated from UFA. Dr. Nicholas Romano, a Co-PI on the grant, is no longer at The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Mr. Kailash Bohara took over the grant at the UAPB. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the past year, we have added new undergraduate students. Undergraduate students have received training on 1) becoming familiar with educational programming for children, 2) the curriculum development process, and 3) video transcription. This year, we also added training on the development of online lessons. Finally, students presented their findings at a professional conference and research forum where they were able to interact with faculty and students from across the country and share the research outcomes, they have accomplished on this grant project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project work on food desserts was recognized and feature on the Channel 11 THV Little Rock Local news https://www.thv11.com/video/news/local/fighting-food-deserts-in-pine-bluff/91-0dfc313c-e38f-46fc-8be2-87ea5f9e57a1. Two articles were published on the University of Arkansas at Pine bluff website entitled "UAPB Project Teaches Youth to Grow Fruits, Vegetables, Fish Indoors with Aquaponics" and "Junior High School Students Prepare Meal with Produce Grown in School Garden" The articles were featured on other websites such as Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, The Pine Bluff Commercial, Newz Group, Newton County Times, Deltaplex News and others. Research was presented at conferences (see below). Also, undergraduate students working on the project will present at a research forum (see below). Undergraduate student's workers attended conferences, participated in classroom visits with the cooking in the classroom activities as well as garden visits. Hampton, S., Culp-Alexander, D., Shavers H., & Harris, K. (2023, April -March) Learning strategies in science education: A gardening approach. Arkansas Academy of Science Meeting and UAPB Research Forum. Pine Bluff, AR. (Won first place for oral presentation). Harris, K. (2023, June). Healthy lifestyle and garden-based programs. American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Baltimore, MD. Gregory, S., Kemper, N., Patterson R., & McFadden, B., (2024, February) Evaluating the effect of garden-based education on willingness to try healthy foods. Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists. Atlanta, Georgia. Hampton, S., Alexander, D., & Harris, K. (accepted) School gardens and preschool students: An interactive learning experience. Biennial 1890 ARD Research Symposium. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue to work with PreK-12 schools, students, teachers, administrators, staff, and the community to meet the project goals and objectives. We are also working on developing additional online materials for the project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the past year, many schools grew different crops in their gardens to help combat food deserts in the community. An aquaponic system was established and fully functioned at the Waston Chapel Junior High School. Students and teachers have gained hands-on experience raising channel catfish while growing various fruits, vegetables, and herbs, including strawberries, mustard and turnip greens, and spearmint. Pine Bluff Junior High students gained experience cooking chicken fajitas with vegetables from their school garden and eating the meal. Also, at Pine Bluff High School, students learned how to cook collard greens and made sweet potato pies with produce from the garden. An okra lesson was also conducted at the UAPB Child Development Center, where the students ate okra and eggplants from the community garden. Additionally, undergraduate students were hired for the project at UAPB and UAF. The UAF team has made progress by establishing new and strengthening existing partnerships in the local community. The UAF director and student workers have integrated with Apple Seeds to expand their capacity to deliver garden-based and culinary programming to several of Fayetteville's most economically disadvantaged schools. Three student workers have embedded with the partner to become familiar with the schools, students, and teachers and to learn critical skills in developing and delivering curriculum. Each student is currently working with the UAF director to complete new lessons as part of the curriculum development plan.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Hampton, S., Culp-Alexander, D., Shavers H., & Harris, K. (2023, April -March) Learning
strategies in science education: A gardening approach. Arkansas Academy of Science Meeting and UAPB Research Forum. Pine Bluff, AR. (Won first place for oral presentation).
Harris, K. (2023, June). Healthy lifestyle and garden-based programs. American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Baltimore, MD.
Gregory, S., Kemper, N., Patterson R., & McFadden, B., (2024, February) Evaluating the effect of garden-based education on willingness to try healthy foods. Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists. Atlanta, Georgia.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
UAPB Undergraduate students working on the project will present at a research forum (Please see below).
Hampton, S., Alexander, D., & Harris, K. (accepted) School gardens and preschool students: An interactive learning experience. Biennial 1890 ARD Research Symposium.
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Progress 04/15/22 to 04/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:PreK-12 students, undergraduate students, teachers, staff, administrative, and the community. Pine Bluff Lighthouse Charter School (PBLCS), a Title 1 school, serves a population of extremely high poverty students with 98% Black. Forrest Park/Greenville Pre-K enrolls 99% economically disadvantaged minority students. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Child Development Center. Jack Robey Middle/Junior School and Pine Bluff High school are all 98% Black. Changes/Problems:Dr. Kieu Le, a Co-PI on the grant, is no longer at The University of Arkansas - Fayetteville, and Dr. Di Fang took over the grant at the Fayetteville's campus. The Fayetteville campus was unable to work in the elementary schools due to the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and is working with students at Apple Seeds to carry out the project's objectives. Dr. Di Fang provided two letters explaining the situation, and they were emailed to our program leader. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PreK-12 schools, administrators, teachers, staff, and students engaged in educational activities, hands-on learning, and interacted with nature. They learned how to plant, grow, maintain, and harvest their vegetables. Students grew vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage, and lettuces through monitored community gardens and training. Also, because of our established partnership with the Jefferson County Agent, students received additional training about gardening. Students are more aware of where their food comes from and more educated about food deserts. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?An article was published in the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff (UAPB) newsletter, on the UAPB website, in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Newz Group. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue to provide more training to PreK-12 schools, administrators, teachers, staff, and students on, how to plant, grow, maintain, harvest, and cook their vegetables. Continue to teach our developed curriculum in the classrooms. Continue to meet the project goals and objectives.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Food deserts have significantly impacted the United States population. Individuals living in food desert areas are at risk for impaired cognitive development, nutrition inequality, obesity/overweight, chronic diseases, and poor academic performance. This project has established partnerships with PreK-12 schools, administrators, teachers, staff, students, and the community. Students had the opportunity to engage in educational activities and hands-on learning. This project showed students how important gardening is to eating healthily, including sustainably growing food. This project helped students to learn how to plant, grow, maintain, and harvest their vegetables. Also, curriculum is being developed for PreK-12 students in Arkansas. A project logo was designed, teachers were interviewed who are working on the project, pre and posttest data has been collected, an undergraduate research office was established, and undergraduate students are employed.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
An article was published in the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff (UAPB) newsletter, on the UAPB website, in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Newz Group.
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Progress 04/15/21 to 04/14/22
Outputs
Target Audience:PreK-12 students, undergraduate students, teachers, staff, administrative, and the community. Pine Bluff Lighthouse Charter School (PBLCS), a Title 1 school, serves a population of extremely high poverty students with 98% Black. Forrest Park/Greenville Pre-K enrolls 99% economically disadvantaged minority students. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Child Development Center. Jack Robey Middle/Junior School and Pine Bluff High school are all 98% Black. Changes/Problems:Dr. Kieu Le, a Co-PI on the grant, is no longer at The University of Arkansas - Fayetteville, and Dr. Di Fang took over the grant at the Fayetteville's campus. The Fayetteville campus was unable to work in the elementary schools due to the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and is working with students at Apple Seeds to carry out the project's objectives. Dr. Di Fang provided two letters explaining the situation, and they were emailed to our program leader. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PreK-12 schools, administrators, teachers, staff, and students engaged in educational activities, hands-on learning, and interacted with nature. They learned how to plant, grow, maintain, and harvest their vegetables. Students grew vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage, and lettuces through monitored community gardens and training. Also, because of our established partnership with the Jefferson County Agent, students received additional training about gardening. Students are more aware of where their food comes from and more educated about food deserts. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?An article was published in the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff (UAPB) newsletter, on the UAPB website, in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Newz Group. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue to provide more training to PreK-12 schools, administrators, teachers, staff, and students on, how to plant, grow, maintain, harvest, and cook their vegetables. Continue to teach our developed curriculum in the classrooms. Continue to meet the project goals and objectives.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Food deserts have significantly impacted the United States population. Individuals living in food desert areas are at risk for impaired cognitive development, nutrition inequality, obesity/overweight, chronic diseases, and poor academic performance. This project has established partnerships with PreK-12 schools, administrators, teachers, staff, students, and the community. Students had the opportunity to engage in educational activities and hands-on learning. This project showed students how important gardening is to eating healthily, including sustainably growing food. This project helped students to learn how to plant, grow, maintain, and harvest their vegetables. Also, curriculum is being developed for PreK-12 students in Arkansas. A project logo was designed, teachers were interviewed who are working on the project, pre and posttest data has been collected, an undergraduate research office was established, and undergraduate students are employed.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
An article was published in the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff (UAPB) newsletter, on the UAPB website, in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Newz Group.
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