Impacts of School-Based Agricultural Education on the Resilience of Senior Appalachian High School Students Living in Economically Disadvantaged Counties in Kentucky and Virginia

Students in Central Appalachia, particularly those in economically disadvantaged (ED) counties, may face unique risks related to their geographic and socioeconomic circumstances. However, school-based and youth development programs have been shown to foster resilience among youth. This convergent mixed-methods study aimed to explore whether involvement in School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) can enhance youth resilience. Data were collected through a resilience questionnaire and semi-structured focus group interviews, which were analyzed, interpreted, and integrated to uncover key findings. Results indicated that participants living in ED areas exhibited relatively high resilience scores. Focus group discussions revealed that, despite the challenges they face, participants generally had a positive life outlook and identified protective factors linked to their involvement in SBAE. The merged findings demonstrated alignment between participants' resilience levels and their experiences in SBAE. The study concludes with recommendations for SBAE educators to strengthen resilience among students and suggests avenues for future research to further examine how SBAE can contribute to youth resilience, especially in ED communities.