**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** VANCE-GRANVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROVIDES TRANSFER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING TO THE PRIMARILY RURAL POPULATIONS OF FRANKLIN, GRANVILLE, VANCE AND WARREN COUNTIES. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS IN THE FOUR-COUNTY SERVICE AREA ARE LIMITED. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATORS HAVE BEEN SPARSE. ACTING ON THIS SHORTFALL, THE FOUR-COUNTY EDUCATIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS TURNED TO VGCC FOR A UNIFIED APPROACH. PLANT, THRIVE & GROW WILL ENHANCE THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGRICULTURE TRAINING FOR K-14 EDUCATORS AND FACILITATE RURAL PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. PLANT, THRIVE & GROW WILL ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF LIMITED AGRICULTURAL PATHWAYS. WITH USDA SUPPORT, VGCC WILL ESTABLISH TWO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AGFOREDUCATORS WILL EXPOSE K-14 EDUCATORS TO PRINCIPLES OF AG BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY. VGCC WILL WORK WITH EDUCATORS TODEVELOP COURSE PLANS AND MATERIALS FOR FUTURE USE IN THE CLASSROOM. SECOND, VGCC WILL ESTABLISH THE ED-AG TASK FORCE COMPOSED OF ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND AG STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE FOUR-COUNTY SERVICE AREA. THE ED-AG WILL EVALUATE PLANT, THRIVE & GROW, COORDINATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICE AREA EFFORTS AND ACTION PLANS FOR AG RELATED EDUCATION AND EXPOSURE. THIRD, VGCC WILL DEVELOP A SUMMER AG IMMERSION EXPERIENCES FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPRESENTING THE WIDELY DISPERSED, LOW INCOME COUNTIES IN THE VGCC SERVICE AREA USING TEACHERS, MATERIALS, AND IDEAS DEVELOPED FROM THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING COURSES. STUDENT REGISTRATION FEES AND COSTS FOR THE CAMPS ARE NOT FUNDED THROUGH THIS GRANT. VGCC WILL SPECIFICALLY EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE STRATEGIES TO INTRODUCE TECHNOLOGY AND DATA-SAVVY COMPETENCIES TO EDUCATORS TO INCREASE INTEREST IN CAREER OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES.$286,000
· FY2021 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture