- Author: Laura J. Van der Staay
Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center is providing tours and workshops for Parlier's 4th grade, middle school and high school students. As part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR), Kearney supports programs that focus on five strategic initiatives:
- sustainable natural ecosystems
- healthy families and communities
- sustainable food systems
- endemic and invasive plants and diseases
- water quality, quantity and security
Students are provided with a tour of research as well as workshops that allow them to relate how applied ANR research impacts them. These field trips also increase student awareness of potential careers in the local area.
Parlier Unified School District's career technical education coordinator, Mr. Rafael Iniguez, is helping PUSD's efforts to expand agricultural career awareness among Parlier's students. Parlier Jr. High School has Ag. classes, and there are three Agriculture career pathways at Parlier High School: Ag. Mechanics, Ag. Plant Science, and Ag. Science. A Reedley Exponent article indicated that about 45% of Parlier's 800 high school students are in the Ag career pathways.
- Author: Laura J. Van der Staay
UC ANR Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center is providing fun learning opportunities to Fresno Unified School District 4th grade students and W.E.B. DuBois & Carter G. Woodson Public Charter Schools' students.
The teachers get lesson plans on experimental design and integrated pest management strategies prior to the students coming for their field trip. Each field trip has a tour where students learn about different crops, issues, and experimental designs. After the field trip, the students learn about how UC helps people and the environment. They are also exposed to “the more you learn, the more you earn” concept and given examples of great local STEM related career opportunities.
Elementary students finish their visit with role playing scenarios that demonstrate the importance of integrated pest management strategies, as well as why pesticide runoff should be prevented.
High school students finish their visit with more advanced experimental activities including a tour of the post-harvest lab and hands-on study of fruit samples using refractometer, penetrometer, and sensory evaluation techniques.
