Progress 02/15/23 to 02/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Our research addresses the need for targeted initiatives to engage and empower Latino youth in pursuing careers in the agricultural fields. Focused on cultivating a sustainable and diverse workforce, this effort recognizes the strengths and potential contributions of the Latin community to the agricultural landscape. Latinos are historically underrepresented in STEM fields, and directing efforts toward engaging Latin youth in agricultural careers serves as a strategic approach to address this disparity. Despite the pressing need for increased youth participation in STEM careers, Latino youth encounter obstacles hindering their success within STEM fields. These obstacles include self-efficacy, the cost of post-secondary education, and perceived time commitments required to complete a STEM career, as highlighted by Zheng and Matthew (2021). A pivotal challenge contributing to the obstacles faced by Latino youth is the pervasive impact of social identity threat, a phenomenon explored in the research by Hernandez et al. (2017). This social identity threat operates as a dual process, wherein Latino STEM majors experience discouragement due to the underrepresentation of their community in specific academic and workplace settings dedicated to STEM pursuits. This project, aligned with AFRI priorities, emerges as an initiative to address this disparity, bridge the service gap, and create pathways that maximize opportunities for those residing in regions where the economy is predominantly fueled by agricultural production. THE National Juntos Consortium (NJC) and STEM Agricultural Pathways (AP) initiative aims to introduce a scalable and replicable community-driven program that champions STEM/Ag sciences equity. Rooted in a holistic, cross-agency approach, this initiative seeks to transform the lives of the Latin community by providing access to resources, knowledge, and skills. This transformative project aims to increase a community rich in talent and resilience into a STEM Ag-rich workforce where their unique perspectives and diverse experiences are valued and crucial. Changes/Problems:Our biggest change with this project is the qualitative research we intended to do. The Program Evaluation & Education Research (PEER) team at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation in NC State's College of Education proposes the following quantitative analysis plan. Prior evaluations of the Juntos program have not utilized quasi-experimental methods to assess the impact(s) of the Juntos program on student academic and workforce outcomes. As such, it would be difficult to determine what additional impact(s), if any, the STEM AP extension has on these outcomes when compared to impacts that result from general participation in Juntos. Therefore, there is a clear need to quantitatively assess whether the Juntos program impacts academic and workforce outcomes among participants. If general participation in Juntos demonstrates positive impacts on student outcomes and STEM AP demonstrates positive impacts on students' soft skills and psychometric outcomes, Juntos stakeholders would have a strong basis to infer that the STEM AP extension promotes improved outcomes for participants, even in the absence of causal analysis. We are still confident the research in this new direction in the research will build evidence for the efficacy of STEM AP and the overall Juntos Program to increase youth academic success and youth STEM career aspirations, strengthen DEIA and culturally responsive practices for LatinxSTEM success, and build a replicable, scalable practices program that improves Latinx youth's career aspirations in STEM, STEM self-efficacy, and representation in post-secondary STEM education and careers. Another challenge our project faced was the ability of Wake Tech Community College/Wake County Public Schools to launch project activities during Year 1. Wake Tech experienced hiring challenges for one of the Project Coordinator positions. After four rounds of interviews, a coordinator has now been hired. While not funded by the YEA grant, staff have conducted recruitment at three school sites, both identified as YEA grant project schools. Staff will transition to the YEA grant project in Year 2. This groundwork will be helpful, and with a fully staffed team, we will be ready for implementation as soon as the formal agreement with Wake County Public Schools is complete. Washington will also need to hire their program lead for the project to accomplish success as the summer academy and the new school year begin. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In March of 2023, the National Juntos Convening provided sessions for professionals to support their work around Juntos programming. Topics such as program sustainability, research and evaluation, and planning summer academies were covered. Youth also attended sessions around mental health, cultural wealth and their education, career exploration, and more. A three-day national Juntos training was held on September 2023, which included new staff hired under this project and professionals from three other states implementing the program. During this training, profound emphasis was placed on refining methodologies and techniques tailored specifically to address the unique needs of Latino youth within the Juntos program. Participants delved into the intricacies of executing impactful workshops, navigating conflict resolution, and cultivating cultural responsiveness to meet the needs of our youth. Beyond skill enhancement, the event fostered a culture of collaboration and networking among the coordinators and staff. Encouraging meaningful connections, this aspect of the training sought to create a supportive community, reinforcing the shared commitment to the program's mission. This training equipped our coordinators and staff with cutting-edge tools and resources to navigate the evolving youth development program. The training not only elevated the proficiency of those involved but also increased the camaraderie among the dedicated professionals. This commitment to ongoing improvement stands as a testament to the program's dedication to the growth and empowerment of the Latino youth it serves. A series of coaching sessions unfolded throughout the fall across North Carolina and Washington State in the fall of 2023. These coaching sessions aim to empower and guide Juntos coordinators, fostering a robust support system and offering a platform to address challenges and troubleshoot potential obstacles within the program. The overarching objectives of these sessions were to instill confidence in the coordinators, equipping them with the tools and knowledge necessary to navigate the program's intricacies. These sessions cultivated a sense of assurance and competence, recognizing the pivotal role these coordinators play in shaping the academic success of our youth. In this collaborative narrative of growth and empowerment, the fall coaching sessions became a cornerstone for Juntos, symbolizing a commitment to excellence in mentorship and dedication to the success of the youth entrusted in their care. Our dedicated staff engaged in a comprehensive series of professional development activities, with our project manager taking a role in enhancing our commitment to K-12 STEM Agriscience education in North Carolina. She attended the NC Association for Biomedical Research (NCABR) "Bridging the Gap" conference, where purposeful networking and valuable connections were made. Our project manager also attended the "Women of Color in STEM Summit," a significant event designed to shed light on the underrepresented segments in STEM fields. The summit recognized and addressed the unique challenges women of color face in navigating STEM careers. This immersive experience provided a culturally responsive lens, amplifying the program's efficacy as it addresses diversity and inclusivity in STEM education. In January 2024, a Juntos coordinator "retreat" in North Carolina provided professional development, aspiring to cultivate a sense of community among staff. The retreat provided a space for creativity through collaborative efforts, fostering an environment where innovative ideas were exchanged. The event served as a crucial support system for coordinators engaged in the Juntos program that aims to increase academic success for the youth. Beyond professional growth, the retreat addressed the challenges of coordinators often working in isolation, providing them with valuable collaboration and mutual support space. It became a cornerstone for fortifying relationships and synergizing efforts within this vital network of program coordinators. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?A collaborative journey unfolded as industry partners, extension staff, content specialists, and NC State and Washington State University (WSU) leaders wrote letters of support for the STEM Agricultural Pathways (AP) initiative. These distinguished partners participated in meetings/workshops to help create the STEM AP model. In August of 2023, industry partners from NC, NC State faculty, extension staff, and Juntos coordinators convened, diving into discussions on the challenges Latin youth face pursuing agriscience. Rich narratives unfolded as participants shared personal stories, providing invaluable insights that would later fuel the development of a model fostering self-efficacy and motivation for STEM careers. In November 2023, industry partners from NC State and WSU, Extension staff from across the country, and national juntos coordinators met in a virtual call to provide their insights and knowledge of the type of model that would be culturally responsive to our youth and aims to encourage students to pursue careers in agriscience. This forum aimed to distill cultural responsiveness into the STEM AP model, synthesizing perspectives to sculpt an intentional approach to agriscience. These two meetings led to the development of the STEM AP Advisory Council and identified key collaborators for its development. These two meetings laid the groundwork for key collaborators and research activities to gain the perspectives and experiences of Latino professionals in agriscience careers. A Delphi methodological approach was used to identify and gather consensus around the essential components to include in an innovative educational model to prepare high school and undergraduate Latino students for agriscience/agricultural engineering careers. Recruitment of participants to complete the survey is still active. The recruitment process for the Delphi methodology involved the expertise of industry partners, and scientists in both industry and academia, alongside content and extension specialists. Monthly engagement, facilitated through email correspondence and personalized phone calls, ensured these key stakeholders' sustained and comprehensive involvement. Contacts were made via social media (LinkedIn and Instagram). Through carefully crafted posts and targeted descriptions, the project engaged a wider audience to contribute their insights to the Delphi methodology process. Given the timelines for product development, information learned through the Delphi research will inform the evaluation and revision of the STEM AP materials. As the initiative evolved, January 2024 marked a milestone with the inaugural advisory council meeting. This meeting formed collaborative efforts that led to a comprehensive roadmap for STEM AP. The strategic process and module development for STEM AP emerged as a testament to the commitment and expertise of the individuals identified in the transformative August and November 2023 gathering. National Juntos Consortium: Since March 2023, state leads from all Juntos states have participated in conversations and surveys to provide their input on what they want to see in a Consortium model. A full Consortium package was revealed on October 3, 2023 which has led to continual feedback to support a revision to the final Consortium model. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?STEM AP In the fall of 2024, North Carolina and Washington will implement and test a prototype of Phase 1 of the STEM AP as an additional component of the Juntos program. STEM AP will strategically focus on cultivating agriscience skills, practices, and career options among students. Envisioned as a transformative experience, the program is designed to immerse students in research, offering invaluable hands-on opportunities by collaborating with industry experts and scientists. Phase 1 will focus on goal-setting and career awareness within agriscience for 11th-grade students. In addition to self-reflection exercises, career awareness research activities, and family involvement prompts, Phase 1 will offer video-based mini-lessons that showcase Latino agriscience professionals leading STEM skill-building activities. Research: In the following months, The Friday Institute, project Co-PIs, and the project manager will conduct cognitive interviews with current Juntos students to gather their thoughts around the S-STEM survey. This initiative aims to get a broader knowledge of the survey questions from the S-STEM and identify any difficulties that respondents experience during the process and to incorporate a culturally responsive lens to the S-STEM. The interviews will be conducted in April 2024 in the two counties of NC (Lee and Wake County). The Friday Institute research team will continue to work through their timeline of qualitative and quantitative reach. NJC update: We are on track to launch the National Juntos Consortium on July 1, 2024. In the coming months, we will finalize individual calls with states and share the Consortium Package and Bylaws with all States. We will provide a virtual meeting of all Juntos states to clarify and answer any final questions before our July 1 launch date. PI will also work on a 2024-2025 annual Consortium calendar events, meetings, and professional development. This calendar will include an RFP timeline for states to apply for YEA Juntos funds in year three of the project. The project manager and lead PI will work on finalizing the RFP application and process to ensure the success of three new states implementing the Juntos STEM AP component. Washington update: In Washington, there is a pursuit for a Juntos program state lead position for the state to help engage coordinators and provide the support needed. A pivotal partnership is forming through strategic collaboration with WSU breadlab. Located near WSU Mount Vernon Research and Extension Center, the Breadlab, with its "Breeders who Bake" ethos, breeds organic grains, fostering a unique synergy with King Arthur Baking Company. This potential alliance will enrich our program and amplify community involvement. The Breadlab's proximity to a region boasting a substantial Latino population, notably in the Burlington School District, presents a promising opportunity. The coordinator's outreach efforts reveal an enthusiastic response, especially from a student body that is 80% Hispanic. The connection serves as a testament to the potential impact of our collaboration. Another partnership is with Viva Farms,who support Latino(a) farmers. They even have trials of different corn varieties to make the perfect corn tortilla. Skagit County Extension and Juntos could be our "glue" to help bring this together.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Part of this project and its research specialize in initiatives to engage and empower Latino youth to pursue careers in the agricultural fields, which is already promoting academia and industry to think effectively about how to engage young people in their work. The initial months of the project were spent hiring needed staff and establishing core team meetings to support the project's structure and timeline. The STEM AP model began its development in August of 2023 with the first meeting involving industry/academia partners in the agriculture sector. The primary objectives of the initial meetings were to gather insights into best practices for agricultural education, explore potential collaborations within these institutions, and understand the diverse pathways these esteemed partners traversed to achieve their current positions. Meetings included a virtual call with additional industry partners to learn how to develop a culturally responsive initiative to encourage Latino youth in agriculture. These discussions catalyzed identifying critical components of the initiative and culminated in establishing our advisory council. On January 9, 2024 our first advisory council meeting marked a significant milestone in the project's evolution. During this session, collaborative efforts resulted in formulating a comprehensive roadmap, outlining the strategic process for the initiative, and developing modules for STEM AP. In North Carolina, two counties (Lee and Wake County) started serving youth in August of 2023 in partnership with local community colleges. Due to Land Grant University and the community college collaboration, strategic conversations on how to support students through dull enrollment have taken place. In Lee County, a Juntos Alumni now enrolled in their community college has been hired through grant funds to support programming. In Washington, the Co-PIs have initiated partnerships with industry. They are engaging Extension Centers near the programming sites on how the STEM AP component can complement their current goals. In March of 2023, the first in Juntos history in-person National Juntos Convening took place at Oregon State University with 64 student participants and 70 professional participants. This event allowed professionals to discuss a National Juntos Consortium model. Since the convening, the lead PI has led various calls with Juntos states and Extension leadership that have supported the drafting and finalizing of the NJC model and its bylaws.
Publications
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