Recipient Organization
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
FORT COLLINS,CO 80523
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The unprecedented challenges facing the agriculture sector in the intermountain west are compounded by declining interest among youth in pursuing careers in agriculture and the limitations of existing agricultural education pathways in engaging underrepresented and non-traditional students. The goal of the proposed project is to pilot and research the effectiveness of a model of agricultural education that combines mentorship, online problem-based learning (PBL) modules, and place-based learning activities to expand access to the Colorado GROW Youth Institute among populations that are underrepresented in the food and agriculture sector. Supporting objectives include (1) developing a series of online PBL modules, (2) recruiting and training two cohorts of mentors, (3) recruiting 9 - 12 grade non-traditional and underrepresented students with limited access to agricultural education, (4) supporting students and mentors to explore the connections between agriculture, food security, and sustainability through place-based learning opportunities at sites across the state (5) convening students and mentors from communities across Colorado at the Colorado GROW Youth Institute at the CSU Spur campus. The intended outcomes of these activities include increasing the demographic diversity of students participating in GROW, broadening students' knowledge of and affinity for careers in agriculture, and equipping the next generation of agricultural leaders with the knowledge and skills to tackle local and global food security challenges. To accomplish these objectives, we will build on the success of the 2024 pilot Colorado GROW Youth Institute, including the establishment of multiple advisory and working groups, and leverage partnerships across and beyond the CSU System.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
50%
Developmental
50%
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to expand access to and participation in the ColoradoGROW Youth Institute among populations that are underrepresented in the food and agriculture sector by implementing and researching the effectiveness of a model of agriculturaleducation that combines mentorship, online problem-based learning modules, and place-based learning activities.We will accomplish this goal through the following objectives:Objective 1: Develop a series of online problem-based learning modules for the target audience of mentors and students to asynchronously engage in exploring food security challenges and responses in local and global contexts. These modules will be modeled after the CAM's Agricultural Academy problem-based learning curriculum and will guide students through completing a Global Challenge research paper. Objective 2: Recruit and train two cohorts of mentors (11 total) through existing partnerships and relationships across the CSU System to recruit and support student participants. The training will be designed to help mentors develop effective mentorship skills and establish a baseline knowledge needed to support students in their food security education journey. Training will also help support mentors in recruiting students.Objective 3: Recruit, through mentor relationships, 9-12 grade non-traditional and underrepresented students who have limited access to or interest in agricultural education (96 total).Objective 4: Support students and mentors to explore the connections between agriculture, food security and sustainability in completion of the GROW project and contextualize the learning with hands-on activities and career exploration at facilities across the CSU system.Objective 5: Convene students and mentors from communities across Colorado at the Colorado GROW Youth Institute at the CSU Spur campus. Top student paper presenters at events across the state will receive scholarships to attend this event, bringing together students from urban and rural communities.
Project Methods
Plan of Operation and MethodologyDuring the planning and implementation of the 2023 pilot Colorado GROW Youth Institute, an Advisory Council, Steering Committee, and two Working Groups were established. These groups will continue their work to envision how the GROW program responds to agricultural education needs and opportunities in Colorado, generate resources to host the annual Colorado GROW Youth Institute at Spur, provide mentorship for educator/mentor professionals, and support the implementation and evaluation of the proposed project. The Project Director (Baxter) and Co-Director (McQuade) will lead and coordinate these working groups, with guidance from the Advisory Council and Steering Committee.The Advisory Council is comprised of senior leadership from the CSU System and Colorado Department of Agriculture. This group provides strategic support and fundraising for the initiative. The Steering Committee is made up of key stakeholders from across the CSU System and the private sector. This committee will continue to provide strategic guidance and support to the initiative and will lead efforts to extend GROW Institute activities across the state. The Curriculum Working Group will lead the development of online learning modules and coordinate with collaborators at Penn State to develop relevant resources and training opportunities for Colorado educators and mentors. They will also oversee educator professional development and mentorship, according to the mentorship plan. The Event Working Group focuses on youth engagement during and beyond the annual Colorado GROW Youth Institute event. This group will continue to lead the planning of the main Colorado GROW Youth Institute at the CSU Spur campus as well as support coordination of additional events across the state. To support the state-wide expansion of outreach and recruitment efforts through the development of mentor/student cohorts, an additional Outreach Working Group will be established to lead implementation of this effort. This group will work in close collaboration with the other working groups to expand place-based education opportunities that elevate local food security initiatives and feed into the annual Colorado GROW Youth Institute.In addition to these working groups, CSU Project Director/Co-Director will work closely with GTAN Co-Directors to develop online learning modules and educator/mentor professional development trainings and oversee the mentor plan for educator/mentor professionals and students.Timetable*Note that this timetable focuses on activities that will be supported by the grant. Alongside these proposed activities, we will continue and expand recruitment efforts through other pathways (4-H, FFA, and high school teachers). Proposed activities serve to complement existing efforts by expanding access to non-traditional and underrepresented student groups.Fall 2024 (September - December): Launch Project and Development of Online ModulesConveneSteering Committeeand Working Groups for a hybrid launch meeting.Begin development of online learning modules that incorporate feedback on the five curriculum modules developed and piloted during Spring 2024.Recruit and select mentors for the 2025 Cohort to pilot the model of mentor-student support, online learning, and place-based education at WCRC and in the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea communities surrounding Spur.Host meeting at the WCRC to train mentors and plan place-based education activities for Spring 2025.2025 Cohort mentors recruit students to participate in Spring 2025 activities,Develop data collection tools for program evaluation data to be collected throughout project.Spring 2025 (January - May): Pilot 2025 Mentor/Student Cohort 2025 Cohort mentors support students through monthly virtual check-ins and participate in monthly mentor trainings/check-ins.2025 Cohort students participate in online learning modules and monthly virtual check-ins with mentors.Host two place-based learning activities for mentor-student groups at the WCRC, with the goal of helping the mentors and students make deeper connections between online learning, local issues and problems, and careers in agriculture. Host one local roundtable event at WCRC where students will compete for a scholarship to attend the Colorado GROW Youth Institute at the CSU Spur Campus. All participants have the option to attend this event or a virtual World Food Prize Foundation Youth Institute.Launch application for 2025 - 2026 Mentor Cohort.Recruit and select mentors for 2026 Cohort (Fall 2025 - Spring 2026). Educators/mentors will be selected through a competitive application process. The Co-Directors will establish a review committee to review applications and select qualified educators who represent schools across the state, with an emphasis on Native American and Hispanic communities (see Appendix A rubric).Host Colorado GROW Youth Institute at the CSU Spur Campus with 2025 Cohort mentors/students and additional mentor/student participants recruited through existing pathways. A limited number of scholarships will be provided for lodging and transportation to support accessibility. See Appendix B for Spring 2024 pilot schedule.Conduct 2026 Cohort mentor training at Colorado GROW Youth Institute (May 2025).Summer 2025 (June - August): Analyze Evaluation Data for Continuous ImprovementAnalyze and report on evaluation data; incorporate findings in Year 2. See Evaluation section below for additional details.Refine online learning modules based on 2025 Cohort feedback.Fall 2025 (September - December): Pilot 2026 Cohort at Expanded SitesDelegation of Colorado students and mentors attend Global Youth Institute (selected during Spring 2025, funded by World Food Prize Foundation)2026 Cohort mentors support students through monthly virtual check-ins and participate in monthly mentor trainings/check-ins.2026 Cohort students participate in online learning modules and monthly virtual check-ins with mentors.Host place-based learning activities for mentor-student groups at the Western Colorado Research Center and 2 - 3 additional sites across Colorado.Spring 2026 (January - May): Continue 2026 Cohort Activities at Expanded SitesApply findings from 2025 to adapt place-based learning activities for mentor-student groups at 3 - 4 sites across Colorado.Host Colorado GROW Youth Institute at CSU Spur Campus with Cohort 2 mentors/students and additional mentor/student participants.Continue plans to recruit, select, and train an additional cohort of mentors (not supported by this proposal).Summer 2026 (June - August): Evaluation and Project Close-OutAnalyze and report on evaluation data; incorporate findings moving forward. See Evaluation section below for additional details.Project close-out (August 31)Evaluation PlansThe GROW Institute will embed evaluation throughout the process of program implementation to support ongoing learning and continuous improvement as outlined in the embedded evaluation model(Giancola, 2014). Evaluation activities will be developed and implemented by an Evaluation Steering Subcommittee comprised of internal and external evaluation expertise. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model, we will collect mixed methods data for students participating in GROW through both traditional and non-traditional agricultural education pathways. This includes demographic data and prior interest in/experience with agriculture collected through the registration process as well as qualitative focus groups and post-program surveys that examine students' educational experiences and interest in pursuing further education and careers in agriculture. We will also conduct educator/mentor surveys and interviews to understand how the program was implemented and experienced by educators/mentors in different pathways.