Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** save the bananas! An agri-stem…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** save the bananas! An agri-stem introduction to crop vulnerability and solutions-seeking for 4-H youth in rural WV is a three-pronged program provided by WVU 4-H that will impact K-12 youth throughout the state of west virginia. Save the bananas! Is made up of a five-part curriculum and a one-time activity called DON't go, bananas! All of these lessons will focus on the risks facing the most commercially produced and shipped banana, the cavendish, and how its reliance on cloning makes IT vulnerable to a fungal disease. One of the most obvious solutions to this risk to our food supply is bioengineering; save the bananas! Will provide youth an opportunity, while working in groups, to use research-grade tools to figure out how genetic modification could save the cavendish and other crops facing similar issues exacerbated by climate change. The five-part curriculum will be deployed at 4-H camps, including a girl-tailored weekend stem camp called eureka!. Eureka! Participants will take part in a year-long virtual leadership cohort complete with service learning activities where they teach agri-stem lessons at their local elementary schools. Additionally, the five-part curriculum will be turned into shippable classroom kits with accompanying training videos for educators to deliver to middle and high school classrooms. This program will focus on creating positive stem interactions for youth who are underserved; WVU 4-H will help develop future agri-stem leaders by making opportunities equitable and helping youth envision themselves as future leaders in stem.