Algae Foundation

THE ALGAE FOUNDATION'S PROJECT PROVIDES ALGAL-BASED STEM EDUCATION TO K-14 EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS THROUGH A HANDS-ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ENTITLED ALGAE SUMMER SCIENCE INSTITUTE. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS WEEKLONG PROGRAM IS TO TRAIN TEACHERS ON ALGAL-BASED STEM EDUCATION. THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK FOCUSES ON ALGAL EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS, EXPLORING WHAT ARE ALGAE AND WHY ARE THEY SO VALUABLE TO HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK OFFERS AN INTENSIVE STUDENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY THAT INCLUDES ALGAL SCIENCE LESSONS, LABS, AND FIELD TRIPS. THE TEACHERS WILL IN TURN OFFER THIS CURRICULUM DURING A WEEK-LONG STEM EXERCISE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS DURING THE UPCOMING FALL TERM. THIS MODEL ALLOWS TEACHERS TO RECEIVE INTENSIVE TRAINING AND APPLICATION THROUGH HANDS-ON TEACHING WITHIN THE SAME WEEK. THE CURRICULA MEET STEM STANDARDS AND FULFILLS THE HUMAN IMPACT REQUIREMENT OF THE NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS. THE ALGAE SUMMER SCIENCE INSTITUTE FULFILLS THE OBJECTIVES OF AFRI PRIORITY - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS.THE ALGAE FOUNDATION, A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, SEES A FUTURE THAT EMBRACES ALGAE AS AN ESSENTIAL SOLUTION FOR A SUSTAINABLE AND HEALTHY PLANET. THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE THE POWER OF ALGAE TO TRANSFORM HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT UPON WHICH IT DEPENDS. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION, THE ALGAE FOUNDATION HAS DEVELOPED NUMEROUS EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS INCLUDING: ALGAE TECHNOLOGY EDUCATIONAL CONSORTIUM - DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEGREES IN ALGAE CULTIVATION AND BIOTECHNOLOGY AND THE ALGAE ACADEMY - DEVELOPMENT OF K-12 STEM CURRICULUM AND SCIENCE KITS.

THE ALGAE IN AGRICULTURE EDUCATION ALLIANCE (AAEA) IS A PROGRAM OF THE ALGAE FOUNDATION THAT AIMS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF SECONDARY SCHOOL INSTRUCTION TO HELP MEET THE CURRENT AND FUTURE NATIONAL FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE WORKPLACE NEEDS THROUGH THE CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW, HANDS-ON CURRICULUM THAT APPROACHES TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL TOPICS USING ALGAE AS THE VEHICLE FOR INNOVATION. THROUGH THE AAEA, STUDENTS WILL INCREASE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF AGRONOMIC ASPECTS, WHILE BEING INTRODUCED TO SUSTAINABLE FORMS OF AGRICULTURE WITH A UNIQUE CROP THAT CAN BE FOOD, FEED, OR FUEL, AND EXPLORE NEW CAREER PATHWAYS IN A PREVIOUSLY UNFAMILIAR INDUSTRY. THE AAEA WILL MIRROR THE NATIONAL FFA ORGANIZATION'S PROVEN INTRA-CURRICULAR DELIVERY MODEL BY FOCUSING ON THREE AREAS: CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION (HANDS-ON ALGAE-BASED EXPERIMENTS AND ACTIVITIES), EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES (STUDENT DIRECTED RESEARCH AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING), AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (STUDENT MENTORSHIP BY ALGAE INDUSTRY LEADERS AND INNOVATORS). OVER TWO YEARS, AAEA WILL DEVELOP AND PILOT CURRICULUM IN 15 SCHOOLS (FOUR IN YEAR ONE AND TWELVE IN YEAR 2), SERVING APPROXIMATELY 1100 TOTAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. CURRICULUM WILL BE ALIGNED TO AFNR STANDARDS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NATIONAL FFA. THE ALGAE FOUNDATION HAS SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED NOVEL K-12 CURRICULUM THAT HAVE RAPIDLY GROWN TO HAVE NATIONAL REACH AND HAVE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINED THAT GROWTH WITH ADDITIONAL GRANTS AND AWARDS. THE AAEA WILL FOLLOW THIS MODEL OF SUCCESS, QUICKLY EXPANDING PASSED THE TWO-YEAR GRANT PERIOD AND OFFERING A SUSTAINABLE, IMPACTFUL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT LEVERAGES AN EMERGING CROP TO TEACH BASIC AND APPLIED AGRICULTURAL PRINCIPLES.