KY EPSCoR: Research Experiences for Under-Represented Minority High School Students

This project is to establish a partnership between the University of Kentucky (U.K.) College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment (CAFE) and the Carter G. Woodson Academy (CGWA), a college preparatory magnet program within the Fayette County Public School (FCPS) system that serves young men who have significant academic potential, but who are at increased risk of experiencing college access gaps. Eighty-five percent of the students at CGWA are African American, and 8% are Hispanic. Sixty-two percent qualify for free and reduced meals. The proposed partnership will facilitate independent, immersive research experiences for CGWA students under the mentorship of CAFE faculty members. The goal is to increase the knowledge of, and interest in, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), and particularly STEM-associated agriculture, among this traditionally under-represented and under-served student demographic, and ultimately to increase the number of men of color that enter associated college majors and professions. CAFE faculty work in all of these areas and can provide high-quality mentoring experiences focused on increasing student confidence, college readiness, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, technical and communication skills, and scientific literacy. Students will work alongside their research mentors at U.K. every afternoon during the school year on an independent research project. They will be required to write a final paper, and also to prepare a physical display for presentation at the FCPS science fair and at the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) annual conference. A Junior MANRRS chapter will be founded at CGWA and the participants will be invited to join to foster a sense of inclusion and a “team spirit” among the cohort.