LEARNING IS BEST UNDERSTOOD AS A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH LEARNERS IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN CONTEXTUAL ACTIVITIES, USE AVAILABLE RESOURCES, AND ENGAGE WITH OTHERS. THE CURRENT COVID-19 CRISIS IS PROMOTING RAPID INSTITUTIONAL AND CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION, THREATENING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS WITH TREMENDOUS UNCERTAINTY, SURFACING NOVEL REQUIREMENTS, WIDENING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP WHILE STRETCHING BARRIERS TO INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE EDUCATION FOR ALL. WHAT BEFORE RELIED ON DIRECT HUMAN CONTACT HAS BEEN SUBSTITUTED BY SOCIAL DISTANCE STRATEGIES THAT REQUIRE DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT THAT IS COMPELLING, SCALABLE AND AVAILABLE AT MULTIPLE LEVELS. THE CHALLENGE IN THIS RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF DISTANCE EDUCATION TOOLS AND RESOURCES IS ACHIEVING ROBUST DESIGN OF MEANINGFUL IMMERSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE ALSO ACCESSIBLE TO UNDERSERVED AUDIENCES. VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY (VR, AR) TOOLS HAVE LONG BEEN USED IN GAMING AND EDUCATION TO PROMOTE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES FOR CUSTOMERS. VR EXPERIENCES HEIGHTEN IMMERSION, ENABLE RICH SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, AND MAY BE JUST THE RIGHT PLATFORM TO PROMOTE IMMERSIVE LEARNING IN DISTANCE AGRICULTURE AND STEM EDUCATION. EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY PREPARED FOR WHAT IS ANYTHING BUT A NORMAL FALL 2020 SEMESTER, STUMBLING IN THE TRANSITION WITH CLASSES ZOOM-BOMBED AND INTERRUPTED; MANY HAVE STRAINED TO ADDRESS SERIOUS INEQUITIES IN ACCESS TO COMPUTERS OR THE INTERNET. RECENT RESEARCH FINDS THAT MOST STUDENTS FELL BEHIND DURING THE LAST TERM OF THE YEAR, WITH THE HEAVIEST IMPACT ON LOW-INCOME STUDENTS. UNDERLYING THESE ADJUSTMENTS, HOWEVER, IS A MORE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: HOW EFFICIENTLY DO STUDENTS LEARN USING VIRTUAL LESSONS? VIRTUAL CONFERENCING PLATFORMS USED BY MANY SCHOOLS ARE NOT ONLINE LEARNING BUT RATHER REMOTE LEARNING THAT IS AN AD-HOC, LOW FIDELITY MITIGATION STRATEGY. IT IS GENERALLY HARDER TO KEEP STUDENTS ENGAGED WITH VIRTUAL LESSONS, NO MATTER THE CONTENT. OREGON TEACHERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROVIDERS HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAVE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO TEACH ONLINE, WORRY ABOUT INTERNET ACCESS AND COMPUTER ACCESS FOR THEIR STUDENTS, AND REFLECT ON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES DUE TO SOCIAL ISOLATION AND FAMILY CHALLENGES. THEY ARE INTERESTED IN MORE SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND ACTIVITIES THAT ALLOW FOR CO-CREATION AND ENGAGED PARTICIPATION.IN THIS REGIONAL SCALE 2-YEAR EDUCATION PROJECT, OSU PRECOLLEGE PROGRAMS AND EXTENSION 4-H PROGRAM WILL PARTNER WITH THE WASHINGTON 4-H PROGRAM AND OREGON AND WASHINGTON AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM FOUNDATIONS TO IMPLEMENT AN AGRICULTURE DISTANCE EDUCATION TOOLKIT AS AN OPEN ACCESS RESOURCE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH PROJECT PARTNERS' NETWORKS AND PLATFORMS. THE PROJECT ADDRESSES THE CURRENT NEEDS AND GROWING DEMANDS OF FORMAL AND NON-FORMAL EDUCATORS AND LEARNERS BY DEPLOYING RAPID, ACCESSIBLE, IMMERSIVE AND INNOVATIVE DISTANCE AGRICULTURE EDUCATION TO REGIONAL MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS, EDUCATORS AND TRAINED VOLUNTEERS FROM RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON INCLUDING VIRTUAL REALITY TOOLS (VR) AND INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL LABS THAT CAN BE DEPLOYED AS IMMERSIVE TOOLS FOR YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND LEARNING. THE TOOLKIT ADOPTS A MULTIMODAL APPROACH TO DISTANCE LEARNING DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING: 1) VR FIELD EXPERIENCES IN AGRICULTURAL SITES; 2) RELATED ONLINE CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES PRODUCED FOR YOUTH WITH YOUTH CONTRIBUTION; 3) VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS; 4) YOUTH ONLINE PROGRAMING; 5) "TEENS AS TEACHERS" PREPARATION, VIRTUAL TEEN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES CAFES; 7) VIRTUAL NEAR-PEER AGRICULTURE MENTORSHIP SESSIONS; 8) A VIRTUAL AGRICULTURE CHALLENGE AND INTERACTIVE LABS; AND 9) A CURATED DISTANCE AGRICULTURE EDUCATION SUITE OF RESOURCES. IMPACTS INCLUDE CHANGES IN AGRICULTURAL LITERACY, INCREASED EDUCATORS', LEARNERS' AND TRAINED VOLUNTEERS' ACCESS TO IMMERSIVE AGRICULTURE CURRICULUM VIA VR PLATFORMS AND INCREASED PEDAGOGICAL SKILLS FOR EDUCATORS MEDIATED BY 21ST CENTURYCOMMUNICATION TOOLS AND STATE-OF-THE ART TECHNOLOGY THAT IS FAMILIAR AND INTRIGUING TO YOUTH TO PROMOTE MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION AND IMPACTFUL LEARNING ABOUT AGRICULTURE TOPICS AND RELATED CAREER PATHS.