During National 4-H week last week on October 9, 2013, millions of young people became scientists for the day during the sixth annual 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD). This event, which takes place in urban, suburban and rural communities all across the nation, seeks to spark an early youth interest and leadership in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers in an effort keep America competitive in those fields.
This year, the National Science Experiment was – 4-H Maps & Apps! Designed by Colorado State University Extension, the year’s set of activities turned young people into geospatial thinkers as they design and map their ideal park, used GIS mapping to solve community problems and contributed data about their community to the United States Geological Survey.
Kentucky 4-H State Teen Council during NYSD Training at the Lake Cumberland 4-H Educational Center near Jabez, KY.
For more than 100 years, 4-H has been at the forefront of teaching young people about science, engineering technology and math (STEM). 4-H National Youth Science Day is the premier national rallying event for year-round 4-H STEM programming, bringing together youth, volunteers and educators from the nation’s 109 land-grant colleges and universities to simultaneously complete the National Science Experiment.
Currently, more 189,000 young people in Kentucky 4-H participate in 4-H STEM programming in topics as varied as robotics, agricultural science, rocketry, wind power, environmental science and alternative energy. Torey Earle, 4-H Agent for Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) trained extension agents, volunteers and teens to lead the 2013 National Youth Science experiment during the month of October in Kentucky. These young people and adults are hosting a variety of NYSD programs in GIS/GPS as part of the experiment.
