Youth Innovators Empowering Agriculture Across America (YEA): Flourishing Agriculture, Communities, and Ecologies

Oregon State University leads the development of a culturally and ecologically responsive curriculum that supports youth and educators in deeper understanding and relationships with interconnected ecological systems, agriculture and forestry, and community well-being.

This curriculum project, funded by NIFA, will be designed to serve all youth within the United States. Previous curricula in this area have not included the evolving knowledge and practices of Indigenous, Pacific Islander, and U.S. island communities impacted by multiple and intersecting socio-ecological crises. As such, this curriculum will include these vital perspectives to foster stronger learning and growth opportunities for all youth, regardless of background and culture. We are collaborating with a variety of partners from across the United States, U.S. Island territories, and Tribal Nations toward these goals.

For our youth and learners, we hope to provide a multidisciplinary learning journey that offers technical knowledge, collaborative purpose, skills to support complex discussions, and pathways for practical action and career development. At its heart, this curriculum is designed for student-centered learning that cultivates youth leadership and agency by nourishing creativity, kinship, wonder, and joy. The lessons will be designed to be highly relevant and interactive for youth.

Our hope is that this project will support youth, educators, and communities in engaging in multigenerational learning; weaving meaningful connections with each other; and growing resilience to seed pathways of hope and potential for future generations.