Engaging Secondary Teachers in CALS Research for Agricultural Literacy

Program Overview

The Engaging Secondary Teachers in CALS Research for Agricultural Literacy program aims to establish a sustainable continuing professional education model to meet the challenge of training middle and high school educational professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. As part of a land-grant university, it is essential for Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences to develop sustainable pathways that connect emerging research and resources to the current secondary curriculum to encourage youth to explore the diverse career opportunities available in food and agricultural science.

Our Goals

The program seeks to support 80 teachers seeking to engage youth in pathways for STEM fields within the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences.

The long-term goal is to develop collaborative partnerships between university researchers and high school and middle school teachers to enrich secondary course content and opportunities for student recruitment in FANH sciences.

Program Focus Areas

• Professional Development: Conduct a model on-campus continuing professional development program that allows secondary teachers the opportunity to learn and experience current research and development projects in agricultural and life sciences.
• University-Teacher Collaboration: Facilitate new partnerships between food, agriculture, nutrition, and health science researchers and secondary teachers.
• Sustainable Lesson Plans: Develop lesson plans to support the sustainability of the learning activities.
• Classroom Implementation Support: Provide each participating secondary teacher with $1,200 in materials to implement the new research information in their classrooms.
• University Engagement Opportunities: Provide opportunities for campus visits for participating teachers and their students (maximum 50), and classroom support from university faculty and graduate students. 

What Teachers are Saying

“This program this summer has changed my perspective on VT and science. I am a math and social studies teacher and found this fascinating. I am excited and looking forward to the program this summer and love the program that VT offers. I know it may not be much, but this grant has changed my mindset, and that means something as a teacher."   -Teacher Participant

This work is supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) 2022-67037-36255 from the  USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture.