THE 4-YEAR GROWING TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS (GTS) PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF K-14 EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS TRAINED IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. TEACHERS WILL GAIN INCREASED ABILITY AND EXPERIENCE DECREASED BARRIERS TO INCORPORATING STEM-BASED "PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS" (PRIMARY AFRI FARM BILL PRIORITY AREA) KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNIQUES INTO INSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL YEAR BY USING THE GTS CURRICULUM. GTS ADDRESSES THE PREDICTED 39% ANNUAL SHORTFALL IN U.S. GRADUATES WITH APPROPRIATE FOOD SYSTEM EXPERTISE NEEDED FOR AGRICULTURE-RELATED EMPLOYMENT OPENINGS.SCHOOL GARDENING INSTRUCTION CAN INCREASE AWARENESS OF FOOD SYSTEMS,AS WELL AS PROMOTE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS,AND IMPROVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES COMMON SCHOOL GARDEN BARRIERS,RECOGNIZING THAT TRADITIONAL GARDENING BEGINS IN SPRING WHEN EDUCATORS' ACTIVITIES WIND DOWN, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MATERIALS PRIMARILY FOCUS ON OUTDOOR TECHNIQUES NOT SUITABLE FOR SCHOOL-YEAR PLANTING.OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION WILL DEVELOP AND HOST SELF-SUSTAINING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES FEATURING VIDEOS OF DEMONSTRATION PLOTS (RAISED BEDS, SEED-STARTING, AND HYDROPONICS) AT SCHOOL GARDEN SITES AND OSU'S AGRICULTURAL LABORATORY.THE GTS OBJECTIVES ARE: (1) OBTAIN INPUT FROM 30-60 TEACHERS PER YEAR WITHIN COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS TO INFORM GTS CONTENT (1 FACILITATOR:20 PARTICIPANTS); (2) PRODUCE 18 TEACHER-INSPIRED, SELF-SUSTAINING GTS VIDEO TRAINING MODULES FEATURING SCHOOL- AND LAB-BASED DEMONSTRATION PLOTS TO GUIDE EDUCATORS THROUGH TRADITIONAL AND CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT PROCEDURES; (3) PILOT TEST, EVALUATE, REVISE, AND DISSEMINATE THE GTS CURRICULUM, MATERIALS AND RESULTS. EXPECTED IMPACT INCLUDES INCREASED ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT SCHOOL-YEAR GARDEN INSTRUCTION AMONG 60 TEACHERS, AND DISSEMINATION OF 18 EFFECTIVE GTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES THROUGH STATE- AND NATIONAL-LEVEL NETWORKS.