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The news is not all that “new.” However, it is serious and 4-H has stepped up to do something about it. America faces a future of intense global competition with a startling shortage of scientists. In fact, only 18 percent of U.S. high school seniors are proficient in science (NAEP 2005) and a mere 5 percent of current U.S. college graduates earn science, engineering, or technology degrees compared to 66 percent in Japan and 59 percent in China.
4-H has addressed the increased demand for science and technology professionals. It is continuing to work towards engaging one million new young people in science programs by 2013. Currently, 4-H Science programs reach more than 5 million youth with hands-on learning experiences to ensure global competitiveness and prepare the next generation of science, engineering, and technology leaders.
4-H’s approach is comprehensive and holistic—from agriculture to climate change to alternative energy – youth are learning about highly relevant complex systems and issues that will ensure their contributions to their communities today and their success as global leaders tomorrow.
Environmental Science & Alternative Energy programs provide young people first-hand experience in utilizing alternative energy, conserving energy and learning how to limit humanity's impact on our environment. Completing programs such as 4-H2Online, which teaches water conservation, and The Power of the Wind, which teaches youth how to take advantage of wind energy, allows young people an entry point into these important conversations. With this knowledge, 4-H'ers can interact with their community's decision-makers and help foment environmentally conscious policy.
4-H Engineering & Technology programs in filmmaking and robotics hope to get American students to take more interest in engineering and technology to maintain our country's ability to lead innovation in the future. The work of scientists and engineers impacts our daily life on so many levels, but sometimes it’s hard to isolate just how those professionals contribute to programs we watch on television or items we see in stores. 4-H uses its Filmmaking Studio and Workshop and Robotics programs to help youth understand just how important an interest in science, engineering and mathematics is to advancing our society’s access to new technology. The programs provide a unique opportunity for 4-H members to interact with the community through volunteer activities and avenues for the club to engage new mentors who are local industry experts.
Plant & Animal Science programs are designed to engage and excite young people in the modern, high-tech, and fascinating field of agricultural science. Two of the newest programs are 4-H AgriScience and Project Butterfly W.I.N.G.S. The AgriScience is a program which fuses the emerging fields of biotechnology and business/economics with the agriculture industry through hands-on experiential learning activities and online learning courses for youth. Project Butterfly W.I.N.G.S.-Winning Investigative Network for Great Science (W.I.N.G.S) is a partnership between 4-H youth and professional scientists. Youth participating in the project act as "citizen scientists" who research and collect data on butterflies to further scientific knowledge.
Each year a new topic is chosen for the 4-H National Youth Science Day as the premiere national event for year-round 4-H Science programming. It brings together youth, volunteers and educators from the nation's 111 land-grant colleges and universities to simultaneously complete the National Science Experiment.
To get more information about 4-H and Science contact the Leavenworth County Extension Office.
The news is not all that “new.” However, it is serious and 4-H has stepped up to do something about it. America faces a future of intense global competition with a startling shortage of scientists. In fact, only 18 percent of U.S. high school seniors are proficient in science (NAEP 2005) and a mere 5 percent of current U.S. college graduates earn science, engineering, or technology degrees compared to 66 percent in Japan and 59 percent in China.
4-H has addressed the increased demand for science and technology professionals. It is continuing to work towards engaging one million new young people in science programs by 2013. Currently, 4-H Science programs reach more than 5 million youth with hands-on learning experiences to ensure global competitiveness and prepare the next generation of science, engineering, and technology leaders.
4-H’s approach is comprehensive and holistic—from agriculture to climate change to alternative energy – youth are learning about highly relevant complex systems and issues that will ensure their contributions to their communities today and their success as global leaders tomorrow.
Environmental Science & Alternative Energy programs provide young people first-hand experience in utilizing alternative energy, conserving energy and learning how to limit humanity's impact on our environment. Completing programs such as 4-H2Online, which teaches water conservation, and The Power of the Wind, which teaches youth how to take advantage of wind energy, allows young people an entry point into these important conversations. With this knowledge, 4-H'ers can interact with their community's decision-makers and help foment environmentally conscious policy.
4-H Engineering & Technology programs in filmmaking and robotics hope to get American students to take more interest in engineering and technology to maintain our country's ability to lead innovation in the future. The work of scientists and engineers impacts our daily life on so many levels, but sometimes it’s hard to isolate just how those professionals contribute to programs we watch on television or items we see in stores. 4-H uses its Filmmaking Studio and Workshop and Robotics programs to help youth understand just how important an interest in science, engineering and mathematics is to advancing our society’s access to new technology. The programs provide a unique opportunity for 4-H members to interact with the community through volunteer activities and avenues for the club to engage new mentors who are local industry experts.
Plant & Animal Science programs are designed to engage and excite young people in the modern, high-tech, and fascinating field of agricultural science. Two of the newest programs are 4-H AgriScience and Project Butterfly W.I.N.G.S. The AgriScience is a program which fuses the emerging fields of biotechnology and business/economics with the agriculture industry through hands-on experiential learning activities and online learning courses for youth. Project Butterfly W.I.N.G.S.-Winning Investigative Network for Great Science (W.I.N.G.S) is a partnership between 4-H youth and professional scientists. Youth participating in the project act as "citizen scientists" who research and collect data on butterflies to further scientific knowledge.
Each year a new topic is chosen for the 4-H National Youth Science Day as the premiere national event for year-round 4-H Science programming. It brings together youth, volunteers and educators from the nation's 111 land-grant colleges and universities to simultaneously complete the National Science Experiment.
To get more information about 4-H and Science contact the Leavenworth County Extension Office.
