A SKILLED AND DIVERSE WORKFORCE IS REQUIRED TO FILL THE GROWING NUMBER OF JOBS IN FOOD AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES SCIENCES (FANR) BUT OUR CAPABILITY TO DO SO IS AT CRITICAL RISK WITH A DECLINING SCIENTIFIC CAPACITY IN THESE FIELDS. EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT INTO AGRICULTURAL STUDIES HAS SOME SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS ESPECIALLY FOR HISPANIC STUDENTS WHO OFTENHAVE PRECONCEPTIONS OR MISCONCEPTIONS OF CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE AND FEEL DISCONNECTED TO THE RELEVANCE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES TO THEIR LIVES. THIS PROPOSED PROJECT ADDRESSES SOME OF THIS DISCONNECT THROUGH A COMBINATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS FOR STEM TEACHERS ACROSS THE REGION. THIS THREE-YEAR PROGRAM INCLUDES TWO MAIN COMPONENTS: (2) THE EXPERIENTIAL AGROECOLOGY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE REACHES75 SCIENCE TEACHERS(25/YEAR) WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN A SERIES OF MORNING FIELD TRIPS TO LOCAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION SITES IN THE REGION WHICH BECOMES THE FOCUS OF AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND VARIOUS EXTENSION ACTIVITIES. (2) AN ADDITIONAL 15 TEACHERS WILL BE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AS CO-MENTORS IN THE UTRGV HIGH SCHOLARS PROGRAM A SUMMER INTENSIVE RESEARCH MENTORING PROGRAM FOR OUTSTANDING LOCAL AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. AS PART OF THIS COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM SELECTED TEACHERS WILL INTERACT CLOSELY WITH UTRGV COLLEGE OF SCIENCE FACULTY TO PARTICIPATE IN ONGOING FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH WHILE SERVING AS CO-MENTORS FOR THE HIGH SCHOLAR STUDENTS. THESE COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCES ARE INTENDED TO REINVENT AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AS A CULTURALLY RELEVANT FIELD OF STUDY FOR TEACHERS AND THE MORE THAN 70000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS THE RGV.