The Tuskegee University College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences (CAENS) provides a number of opportunities for middle and high school students to grow and develop. These opportunities are in the form of Summer Programs and Educational Competitions. The Alabama Youth Institute, Dream Learners Academy and AgriTREK/SciTREK and AgDiscovery are programs CAENS provides to develop students’ leadership skills and a love for Agriculture and Science. The programs vary in length from 1-day activities to several weeks with a residential stay at Tuskegee University.
The TU Cooperative Extension Program (TUCEP) eXert Program offers summer programs and camps, that may be free or have scholarships to make it easier for families to attend the programs. One of the camps is eXert Summer Camp, a 6-day residential camp for 5-7 graders and a separate camp for 8-9 graders held at Hargis Retreat.
EXERT YOUTH COMPETITION
During the 128th Annual Farmers Conference, TUCEP hosted the Third Annual eXert Youth Competition. The educational competition provides high school students from area schools to compete in categories of:
- Culinary Arts (Apple Preserves and Quesadillas Cook-off)
- Entrepreneurship (Business Pitch to impact many)
- Agriculture (Farm planning)
- Architecture (Building Recyclable/Sustainable Chairs)
Scholar Bowl Competition
eXert also provided an Oratorical Workshop and Contest. The daylong workshop provides the middle and high school students in Alabama’s underserved Black Belt counties the opportunity to strengthen their fundamentals in public speaking. Activities allow students to build their communication and leadership skills, as well as sharpen their principles of listening, thinking and speaking using theory, practice sessions and interactive activities in everyday life.
