THEEXPANDINGYOUTHINVOLVEMENT INEXPLORINGEXCITINGEMPLOYMENTDIRECTIONS INAGRICULTURE (EXPANDING YIE3LD IN AG) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) PROGRAM ADDRESSES THE AFRI EWD OVERARCHING GOAL OF ENHANCING AGRICULTURAL LITERACY BY INVOLVING K-14 TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, AND ADMINISTRATORS IN ACADEMIC RESEARCH LABS AND FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES. TO FEED THE PROJECTED INCREASE IN WORLD POPULATION OF 9.1 BILLION PEOPLE BY THE YEAR 2050 WOULD REQUIRE A 70% INCREASE IN OVERALL FOOD PRODUCTION (FAO, 2009). THERE IS AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE GIVEN THE MORE RECENT CLIMATE CHANGES IMPACTING AGRICULTURAL CROP PRODUCTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY.TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGE, YOUTH - THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE, SHOULD BE TRAINED IN STATE-OF-ART TECHNOLOGY TO THE SATISFY THE NEEDS OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD INDUSTRY. THEREFORE, THE OVERARCHING CHALLENGE ADDRESSED BY THE PROPOSEDEXPANDING YIE3LD IN AGIS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER AND DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PURSUING AGRICULTURE-RELATED CAREERS BY TRAININGK-12 TEACHERS. UNDERSTANDING AND ALLEVIATING CRITICAL SOCIETAL ISSUES SUCH AS MAINTAINING ADEQUATE FOOD SUPPLIES, MINIMIZING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES, THE FOOD AGRICULTURE NUTRITION AND HEALTH (FANH) WORKFORCE ENGAGES IN IMPORTANT INTERDISCIPLINARY ENDEAVORS THAT BRING TOGETHER NUMEROUS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING DISCIPLINARY CORE IDEAS, CROSS-CUTTING CONCEPTS, AND SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PRACTICES (NRC, 2012; NGSS LEAD STATES, 2013). BY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SECONDARY INSTRUCTION AND RE-ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION WORKFORCE IN AGRICULTURE-RELATED JOBS, MORE INDIVIDUALS WILL PURSUE POST-SECONDARY DEGREES IN FANH FIELDS TO ENTER CAREER PATHS STRIVING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS FACING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECTOR.THE PROPOSED K-12 TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM BRINGS TOGETHER PENN STATE'S CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND THE SCHOOLS (CSATS), THE CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA RESEARCH AND TEACHING LABORATORY FOR BIOFUELS AND ENGINEERING RESEARCHERS AT PENN STATE HARRISBURG, ORGANIC FARMING ENTREPRENEURS AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES, EACH WORKING ON DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THIS OVERARCHING PROBLEM. THE AGRICULTURE-RELATED RESEARCH INVOLVES DESIGNING AND ENGINEERING OF ALTERNATIVE GROWTH SYSTEMS SUCH AS HYDROPONICS, CROP YIELD IMPROVEMENT, METHODS OF MONITORING AND MANAGING CROPS AND ANALYTICAL TOOLS TO MEASURE THE QUALITY OF THE CROP. AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES FOCUS ON MEDIUM-SCALE FOOD PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING SYSTEMS SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. TEACHERS WILL BE PREPARED FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES FOCUSING ON FARM TO PLATE FOOD PRODUCTION THROUGH SUMMER WORKSHOPS AT PENN STATE HARRISBURG, FOLLOWED BY VISITS TO TWO LOCAL INDUSTRIES TO SUPPORT UNDERSTANDING OF AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES AND RELEVANT CAREER PATHWAYS. TEACHERS WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS LEADERS BY TRAINING OTHER TEACHERS IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR INSTITUTIONS. FOLLOWING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVELOPED CURRICULUM IN THE SECONDARY CLASSROOMS, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR LEARNING BY PARTICIPATING IN THE AUTOMATED PLANT GROWTH SYSTEMS CHALLENGE, HOSTED AT PENN STATE HARRISBURG. ULTIMATELY, WE AIM TO DEVELOP ONLINE RESOURCES TO HELP DISTRIBUTE THIS PROGRAM NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.