**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES 'PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS' PRIMARY AFRI FARM BILL PRIORITY AREA FOCUS, AND INDIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE AREA 'AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES', - FOR THE DURATION OF 5 YEARS, FROM 2020. OUR SUMMER REEU TEN WEEKS ANNUAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT INVOLVES NOVEL HORTICULTURAL PHYTOCHEMISTRY STUDIES, USING HIGH-VALUE SPECIALTY CROPS WITH UNIQUE PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS, CULTURAL MANAGEMENT, PROCESSING, AND NUTRIENT PRESERVATION ASPECTS, SOIL ANALYSIS, AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS, SCIENTIFIC SAMPLING AND OUTREACH TO LOCAL FARMERS. TWO PRIMARY FACULTY-MENTORS (PI AND COLLABORATIVE MENTOR) AND TWO GRADUATE STUDENTS-MENTORS (FUNDED FROM OTHER GRANTS) WILL TRAIN EVERY SUMMER TWO INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS OF 3 TRAINEES EACH. TOTAL OF 30 STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE OVER THE PROJECT DURATION. FACULTY-STUDENT RATIO IS 1:3, AND TOTAL MENTOR-STUDENT RATIO IS 4:6. OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS FROM MINORITIES, UNDERREPRESENTED IN FANH SCIENCES, ATTRACTING CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY MAJORS TO CAREERS IN HIGH-TECH AGRICULTURE USING ACTIVE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TECHNIQUES, THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE A POWERFUL TOOL TO INCREASE STUDENT'S AWARENESS, INVOLVEMENT INTO STUDIES, LEADERSHIP, AND CRITICAL THINKING ABILITIES. STUDENT TEAMS WILL ACQUIRE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH DIFFERENT HIGH-VALUE SPECIALTY CROPS BY WORKING IN PI'S LAB AND AT WYE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER (COLLABORATIVE MENTOR'S AFFILIATION). EVALUATION IS VIA STUDENT PROGRESS AND SUCCESS PARAMETERS AND CONSULT THE STUDENTS ABOUT GRADUATE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES, LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE RESULT OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE A MODEL OF CREATING SPECIALISTS, WELL PREPARED FOR HIGH-TECH AGRICULTURAL CAREERS, WHICH CAN BE REPLICATED IN OTHER U.S. INSTITUTIONS.