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 - KARE Program and Facility Coordinator, IR-4 Field Research Center Director