FROM MICRO TO MACRO: GROWING AG LITERACY IS A PROJECT BASED ON THE NEEDS OF EDUCATORS AND YOUTH IN MISSISSIPPI TO MAKE AGRICULTURE RELEVANT TO STUDENTS. WHILE AGRICULTURE IS THE NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY IN MISSISSIPPI, FEW STUDENTS HAVE THE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE TO UNDERSTAND OUR FOOD AND FIBER SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATE BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT AGRICULTURE. FURTHERMORE, 62 OF MISSISSIPPI'S 82 COUNTIES INCLUDE FOOD DESERTS MAKING ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS DIFFICULT FOR MANY YOUTH. OUTCOMES OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO INCREASE AGRICULTURAL LITERACY AMONG 5TH, 7TH, & 9TH GRADE EDUCATORS AND THEIR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS PROMOTE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN OUR STATE WHILE EXPOSING STUDENTS TO CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE. THESE OUTCOMES WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SEVEN-UNIT CURRICULUM EXPLORING TOPICS RELEVANT TO PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND AGRICULTURE IN MISSISSIPPI AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP FOR EXTENSION AGENTS AND EDUCATORS IN GRADES 5TH, 7TH, AND 9THAT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY. YOUTH ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: LEARNING ABOUT PHOTOSYNTHESIS, IDENTIFYING & GERMINATING SEEDS, PLANTING MICROGREENS, CREATING A CROP MANAGEMENT PLAN, MAPPING FOOD RESOURCES IN THEIR COMMUNITY, PARTICIPATING IN THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE, CREATING AN AGRIBUSINESS PLAN, AND HARVESTING A MICROGREEN CROP. TEN EXTENSION AGENTS WILL RECRUIT 20 EDUCATORS TO TAKE PART IN AN IN-DEPTH TRAINING WORKSHOP ON THE CAMPUS OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY. EXTENSION AGENTS WILL REACH 300 YOUTH VIA INFORMAL EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS WHILE EDUCATORS WILL REACH 400 YOUTH THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM. THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD WHICH IS OFTEN CONSIDERED A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT AND ENSURING THAT ALL COMMUNITIES HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS. FOOD INSECURITY CAN BE DEFINED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, WITH FEEDINGAMERICA.ORG DEFINING IT AS"THE HOUSEHOLD-LEVEL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITION OF LIMITED OR UNCERTAIN ACCESS TO ADEQUATE FOOD." THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST FOOD INSECURITY RATES IN THE UNITED STATES. FOOD INSECURITY CAN BE HARMFUL TO ANY INDIVIDUAL BUT POSSESSES A GREATER RISK FOR CHILDREN. PROPER NUTRITION IS CRITICAL FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT.TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN FOOD INSECURITY AND HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES, A HANDS-ON LEARNING APPROACH TO INTEGRATING STEM AS A BASIS FOR LEARNING ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND ITS MANY REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS WILL BE UTILIZED.

Mississippi State University, Mississippi State MS

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