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 E-grow project develops youth…

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 E-grow project develops youth interest and competency in agricultural technology (AGTECH) for food production in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The objectives satisfy key requirements of the fane program by developing non-formal agricultural educational content and activities to foster curiosity and competency of tech-savvy stem students in disciplines like automation of vegetable greenhouse climate control systems, robotics and AI for crop science, and energy and economic benchmarking of vertical farms. E-grow will pilot a CEA certificate for youth at ten middle and high schools in new york, pennsylvania, virginia, and wyoming for integration into a future CEA workforce credentialing program. E-grow pilots expect to reach 500-1,000 youth and reach student populations underrepresented in stem including rural youth, students from low-income households, young women, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities. Seven project partners from higher education and youth development will collaborate to accomplish the aims with assistance from a mentoring network of industry professionals, academics, and researchers facilitating and amplifying accomplishments of students. Progress toward four distinct aims with milestones over four years will be evaluated by an advisory group of pilot school stakeholders. E-grow non-formal educational modules, experiential learning activities, and modeling tools tailored for grades 6-12 will build on existing youth development strategies to increase understanding of the benefits of CEA AGTECH. Student-produced capstone projects and outreach materials will demonstrate competency and build public confidence in AGTECH in food systems by showing their communities how AGTECH enables CEA operations to produce fresh food and support local jobs.