**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** TURFGRASS COVERS EXPANSIVE PORTIONS OF THE US IN URBAN AND RURAL SETTINGS. THIS BROAD COVERAGE OF TURFGRASS MEANS MOST AGRICULTURAL AND STEM EDUCATORS ALONG WITH THEIR STUDENTS HAVE INTERACTED WITH TURFGRASS. HOWEVER, THEY PROBABLY DID NOT DIRECTLY RELATE THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH TURFGRASS TO SCIENCE, MATH, OR TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED TO MANAGE TURFGRASS SYSTEMS. OUR PROPOSED OBJECTIVES INCLUDE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1.) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS FOR CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATORS IN AGRICULTURE AS WELL AS SCIENCE AND MATH TEACHERS 2.) TO GUIDE DEVELOPMENT OF ACCREDITED CURRICULUM CENTERED AROUND TURFGRASS SCIENCE 3.) DELIVERED IN-PERSON (DALLAS, LUBBOCK, AND AMARILLO, TX) AND VIRTUALLY. AS TEACHERS ARE IMMERSED INTO STEM KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED TO MANAGE HIGH-END TURFGRASS FACILITIES, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CONFIDENTLY DELIVER HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES THAT BRING STEM EDUCATION TO LIFE FOR THEIR STUDENTS. BOTH ATTENDEE INCENTIVES AND VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WILL ENHANCE RECRUITMENT OF PARTICIPANTS AND PROVIDE GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS WITHIN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OR ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS TO ACCESS AND COMPLETE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION TO SIMPLY BUILDING A CONNECTION WITH STEM TO AN AGRONOMIC SYSTEM MOST HAVE EXPERIENCED, OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS AND SUGGESTED CLASSROOM CURRICULUM WILL SPOTLIGHT FEMALE AND MINORITY PROFESSIONAL TURFGRASS MANAGERS. THIS IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR PROPOSED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS LACK OF RACIAL AND GENDER DIVERSITY WITHIN TURFGRASS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND PROFESSIONAL TURFGRASS MANAGER CAREERS. WE HAVE ASSEMBLED A DYNAMIC TEAM OF FACULTY WITH DIVERSE EXPERIENCES AND BACKGROUNDS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES TO A WIDE ARRAY OF EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS.