** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE IMMERSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCES FOR AGRISCIENCE TEACHERS TO EXPLORE THE FLORICULTURE INDUSTRY: STEM IT UP SQUARED (SIU2) PROGRAM WILL CREATE, MODEL, AND REPLICATE BEST PRACTICES TO ILLUMINATE THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) CONCEPTS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE PLANT SCIENCE CURRICULA FOR SCHOOL-BASED AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION (SBAE) PROGRAMS. THE GOAL OF SIU2 IS TO ADDRESS THE NEED TO PREPARE A BROADENED STEM WORKFORCE WHICH HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED OVER THE PAST DECADE (CARNEVALE ET AL., 2011; CROWELL, 2016; NCEE, 2007; NASNAEIOM, 2007; NRC, 2012). CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE), INCLUDING SBAE, HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PREPARING A STEM-LITERATE WORKFORCE (ACTE, 2009). HOWEVER, TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN PREPARING STUDENTS TO MEET FUTURE CHALLENGES, K-12 AGRISCIENCE TEACHERS NEED RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FROM UNIVERSITIES AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS TO HELP HIGHLIGHT STEM IN SBAE PROGRAMS. FLORICULTURE, THE CULTIVATION OF ORNAMENTAL FLOWERING PLANTS, IS TYPICALLY TAUGHT BY SBAE TEACHERS THROUGH FLORAL DESIGN, MARKETING, USE AND SALE OF FLORIST CROPS, BUT IS NOT NECESSARILY DEEPLY FOCUSED ON THE PRODUCTION ASPECTS OF THE INDUSTRY, WHICH CONNECT TO STEM CONCEPTS AND CURRICULAR STANDARDS (AFNR AND NGSS) TAUGHT NATIONWIDE IN SBAE PROGRAMS. OUR PROJECT WILL PROVIDE AN INNOVATIVE, IMMERSIVE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) PROGRAM FOR THE TARGET AUDIENCE - SECONDARY (GRADES 7-12) AGRISCIENCE TEACHERS. SIU2 WILL LEVERAGE PARTNERSHIPS WITH EDUCATION, INDUSTRY, AND TEACHING/LEARNING EXPERTS TO ENHANCE AGRISCIENCE TEACHERS' CONTENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE FLORICULTURE INDUSTRY. THE APPLICATION AND USE OF INQUIRY-BASED INSTRUCTION WILL BE MODELED AND PRACTICED IN ALL FACETS OF THE PD PROGRAM.THE PROJECT ADDRESSES TWO NIFA/AFRI PRIORITY AREAS: (A) PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS AND (B) AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES. EDUCATORS WILL BE IMMERSED IN FLORICULTURE INDUSTRY-AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES, AND THEN CREATE INSTRUCTIONAL MODULES INTENDED TO EMPOWER STUDENTS WITH KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITIONS APPLICABLE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. AGRISCIENCE TEACHERS WILL IMPLEMENT THEIR ENHANCED LITERACY OF AN ENTIRE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM (I.E., FLORICULTURE/GREEN INDUSTRY), DESIGN NEW CURRICULA, AND CREATE EXPERIENCES TO EXTEND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR STUDENTS. IN CONCERT, RURAL STUDENTS BETTER PREPARED TO WORK AND INNOVATE WITHIN AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES WILL BOLSTER RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH, AS EXAMPLES, CAREER READINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. SIU2 ALIGNS WITH THE PDAL PROGRAM AREA PRIORITIES TARGETING EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROPOSED FLORICULTURE SIU2 PROGRAM COMBINES AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH VIRTUAL AND HANDS-ON RESEARCH, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND TRAINING FOR SECONDARY AGRISCIENCE TEACHERS.