Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** wenatchee valley college (WVC),…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** wenatchee valley college (WVC), located in north central washington (NCW), is a hispanic serving institution (HSI) that provides academic and community education to constituents in three counties – chelan, douglas, and okanogan. These three counties comprise the WVC service district (wvcsd), a 10,000 square mile expanse that is home to 164,116 residents. The significant contribution of the wvcsd to tree fruit and wine production is intricately woven into the fabric of the population identity, drawing individuals from diverse backgrounds who have migrated into this region, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge, skills, and hard work. The backbone of this labor force is dominated by hispanic farmworkers, comprising approximately 62% of the agricultural labor force in the region. Despite this notable representation, most orchards and vineyards are owned and operated by white producers, signifying a harrowing disparity in ownership and representation within the agricultural sector. The hispanic orchard employee education program (hoeep) is addressing these inequities by cultivating the next generation of hispanic agricultural leaders. The hoeep program offers a nationally recognized certificate that has helped orchard workers rise from thinners and pickers to crew bosses, orchard and vineyard managers, and warehouse supervisors. The sembrando é xito: cultivating hispanic leaders in agriculture project aims to give more hoeep students the additional skills and abilities that will give them access to higher paying orchard and vineyard field jobs, and the potential for land ownership and leadership roles in the industry. The sembrando é xito (sowing success) project will (1) revise courses in the hoeep curriculum to incorporate modern content, research-based practices, leading edge technology, guided experiential learning, and leadership development activities; (2) develop a more strategic approach to outreach and recruitment; and (3) further expand pathways to college enrollment and degree attainment. These efforts will result in an increase of orchard and vineyard workers who can assume technical and managerial roles at their respective work sites. In addition, the transfer component of the project has the potential to impact the local and statewide food and agricultural industries by creating a pathway for an underserved segment of the population to attain higher level positions in the workforce. The expected outcomes for this project are that 90% or more of hoeep students will complete the program and that each year a minimum of four students will enroll in an associate degree program, and that two or more students of those students will transfer to a four-year institution.