TUSKEGEE, Ala. (July 16, 2008) - Seventy high school students from nine states participated in the 2008 AgriTREK program at Tuskegee University this summer. The two-week residential program is a product of the College of Agricultural, Environmental and Natural Sciences; the College of Engineering; and the Southeastern Consortium for Minority Engineers Inc. The program, in its fourth year, is sponsored by the USDA/CSREES.
"This program was implemented to expose 9-12th grade students and teachers from counties in Alabama's Black Belt to the latest development in AgriScience-related disciplines," said Dr. Victor Brown, director of AgriTREK. "Our roster, this year alone, shows its growth.
According to Brown, the University is partnering with school systems to increase the number of minorities represented in STEM-workforce (particularly agriculture, animal science, bio-technology, and engineering) by addressing: limited hands-on laboratory-based exposure for underserved minorities in STEM disciplines; limited infrastructure and resources for underserved minority schools; and the need for leadership training.
"This initiative reinforces the curricula in STEM disciplines at the pre-collegiate level by promoting a more effective pipeline of underserved minority students from the secondary level through exposing students to hands-on laboratory-based training and leadership development workshops," Brown said.
AgriTREK features hands-on research, leadership development and personal enrichment activities. Participants are mentored by professors who expose them to the latest developments in science and technology through research projects based on their career interests. This year's participants include students from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas, Ohio, Tennessee and North Carolina.
"The program provides a unique opportunity for its participants who have expressed an interest in careers in one of the primary STEM disciplines, allowing them to work alongside a research professor/mentor on an individual or group project, conducting college-preparatory research and receiving hands-on inquiry-based training in these respective fields," said Michelle McKee, co-director of the program. "By day, the students work on their research projects and in the evenings, attend motivational enrichment sessions on teambuilding, leadership, business etiquette, critical thinking, public speaking, financial planning, goal-setting and values, test-taking strategies, and college readiness.
Areas of interest are: plant science, chemistry/biology/biotech, forestry/wildlife, food science, AgriBusiness, animal science/pre-vet, plant science, environmental science, food science and engineering. This year, some of the students participated in a service learning project in the Louisiana wetlands, planting trees in an effort to preserve what is left in the damaged area.
The program also offers a two-day professional development workshop to expose secondary teachers to the latest innovations in AgriScience-related disciplines, which significantly impacts the preparation students receive in the classroom, Brown said.
"Not only should secondary students be exposed to the latest technologies, secondary teachers can benefit from exposure and familiarization with emerging discoveries in STEM disciplines. Teachers exposed to the latest innovations in science and technology will have a significant impact on their students," Brown said. "Exposing both secondary teachers and students to the latest discoveries enhances the development of future leaders in STEM disciplines, this framework serves as a vital connection to future scientific discoveries and can transform science curriculum for high schools."
While AgriTREK continues to grow in resources, both human and technological, its mission remains steadfast.
"As STEM disciplines evolve, an increasing gap exists between educators and the changing needs of minority students; however, only limited alternatives exist to meet the needs of these students. Education aimed at preparing students to become tomorrow's leaders must include a strong emphasis on hands-on laboratory-based education and early development of core values," Brown said. "The ultimate goal of this program is to provide a holistic approach in training and mentoring these scholars as future leaders having positive impact in their schools and communities," Brown said.
McKee agrees the mission is being accomplished. "Participants in the AgriTREK Program, become more confident and focused on their lifelong dream of pursuing post secondary studies. Many go on to present their research at state science fairs and at national professional conferences, thereby increasing the caliber of student who is prepared to enter and complete a degree program," she said. "We have seen first-hand how the program has motivated our students to dream (in color), while helping them to develop a roadmap for their future which yields optimal success."
According to McKee, the AgriTREK Program started as a pilot for students who attend the Selma Early College High School Program, an initiative sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Jobs for the Future and SECME Inc., which allows first-generation college attendees the opportunity through rigorous coursework, motivational seminars and summer internships, to receive a high school diploma and an associate's degree at the same time. The group of students who attended the program when it first started in 2005, recently graduated from Wallace Community College-Selma. Fifteen of those original AgriTREK scholars will be attending Tuskegee in the fall. Others will be attending Fort Valley State University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, and Auburn University.
For more information about AgriTREK, contact Brown at 334-727-8419.
Posted By: Kenyana Madison
Monday, July 21st 2008 at 12:43PM
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