** 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 SADDLE TO STEM PROGRAM WILL LEVERAGE YOUTH INTEREST IN HORSES TO STIMULATE INTEREST IN ANIMAL GENETICS AND TECHNOLOGIES AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENETIC CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY. THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO INTRODUCE ANIMAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE PROGRAMMING TO A MORE DIVERSE YOUTH DEMOGRAPHIC, FACILITATING DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS, AND SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING THROUGH NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN GENETICS THAT UTILIZES EXISTING YOUTH EQUINE EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT UK AND UCONN. THE CURRICULUM WILL HAVE TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS, 1) THE YOUTH-BASED GENETICS CURRICULUM, AND 2) DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING MATERIALS FOR CURRICULUM ADMINISTRATORS. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE 1) RECRUITMENT OF A NEW MORE DIVERSE POPULATION, 2) DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY-LED, USER-TESTED CURRICULUM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AGRI-SCIENCE EDUCATORS, INDUSTRY AND EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS, FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT WILL INTRODUCE AND EDUCATE PARTICIPANTS IN STEM TECHNOLOGIES ESSENTIAL TO GENETICS, 3) CREATION OF MULTI-MODAL ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES AND 4) INCREASING SCIENCE LITERACY. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP MODULAR IN-PERSON AND ONLINE CURRICULA, WITH CONTINUED ASSESSMENT AND REFINEMENT (EXPECTED IN PERSON PARTICIPATION = 300 TOTAL, EXPECTED VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION = 400 PER YEAR), RESULTING IN OUR TARGETED POPULATION BECOMING LIFELONG SCIENCE LEARNERS DEVELOPING A MORE DIVERSE SCIENTIFICALLY LITERATE WORKFORCE PIPELINE.