Iowa 4-H Volunteer

NYSD Experiment

HOW-TO VIDEO!

Are you considering using the NYSD (National Youth Science Day) experiment with your club, but are a little nervous about how to do it? Great news! The NYSD webpage now has a short how-to video on the experiment. Use this step-by-step animated video guide to learn how to lead and participate in this year’s National Science Experiment. This fun video, sponsored by DuPont and Pioneer, provides a great snapshot of just how easy and engaging Biofuel Blast is! Login to www.4-H.org/NYSD and then go to The Experiment to view and share with others.

Holly Bignall, Campus Youth 4-H Program Specialist, E-SET coordinator

Clubs, Events, Opportunities Clubs, ESET, New Clubs, Projects, Resources

If you’ve heard talk about getting more Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) into 4-H clubs but have no idea how to get started in your area – well here’s one way to make it Happen!

Iowa is loaded with high tech industries: bioengineering, renewable energy, manufacturers of high tech equipment, providers of telecommunications services, medical services, academic research labs, the list goes on and on. Partnering with one of these organizations is a great way to get more SET into your club or start a special interest 4-H club focused on SET.

Here’s an example. One of the Ames Laboratory of Story Co.’s former employees was eager to share his passion for engineering with young people. The Ames Lab was eager to support a 4-H club if it would encourage youth to develop a passion for science and engineering. The situation was ripe for a partnership!

Story Co. 4-H worked with Marcus, the scientist volunteer, to develop a budget for tools and supplies as well as a stipend for the helpers and a budget for a club banner and marketing materials to advertise the club. Marcus decided to develop his own curriculum based on his interests, however, he could have used any of the 4-H curricula available through E-SET and National 4-H. Ames Labs agreed to fund the club, which was named: The Ames Laboratory Tinkering with Science 4-H Club.

The club was a smashing success. We advertised it widely in the community and took registration, signing all the participants up as 4-H members. – Check out this picture of the club members showcasing their engineering feat at the State Fair.

Tinkering Machine

There are a lot of innovative aspects to this club, but what made it work was the partnership between 4-H and Ames Laboratory. Such organizations can not only provide the funding for a SET club, but can also help identify an employee to volunteer for the club, and incentives for this employee such as time off work or a stipend.

Find out more about the innovative structure of the Tinkering with Science 4-H Club by checking out its description on the Innovative Club Models webpage. You can also read descriptions of other innovative clubs and download a template for posting descriptions of your own innovative clubs.

We would love to hear what you think of this post! Please comment on our blog post!

Marcus Johnson, PHD - Lead volunteer for Tinkering with Science 4-H Club
Holly Bignall, Campus 4-H youth program specialist, E-SET coordinator

Clubs, Opportunities Clubs, Community Partnerships, ESET, New Clubs

Do you have a hobby or an interest that you have a passion for?  Photography, stargazing, running, cake decorating, model trains, remote control airplanes, knitting, etc. …Do you enjoy being with kids? Why not work with your local county 4-H office to begin a 4-H club where you can share your love of a hobby with youth who have the same interest?

4-H clubs can be very general, where youth learn about a broad variety of subjects.  They can also be very focused on one interest area.  In these cases, youth may enroll in just one project area or many, but they will spend most of their time learning about one project area.

If you have an idea to begin a new 4-H club, why not call your local extension office today.  Find their number by selecting your county on this map http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ouroffices.htm

New volunteers will be asked to go through a screening process for the protection of both youth and themselves.  After that, they will help you recruit members to begin a club, and help you learn how to be a good leader.

Get started today!
Lisa Berkland, Region 2 4H Youth Development Program Specialist

Clubs, Opportunities Clubs, New Clubs

Linda Naeve and I just had to share these success stories (PDF) about how three new 4-H clubs were started that connected youth and caring adults with common interests in gardening.

Note how the Story, Dickinson, and Worth County clubs were started by Master Gardeners, a CYC, and a sixth grader that connected with their local 4-H office and got things rolling. Story and Dickinson are using 4-H Growing in the Garden lessons and activities to plan fun, educational sessions.

We are discovering other gardening groups that have not transitioned into clubs. Why not? It only takes a seed!

–Janet Toering

Clubs, Opportunities Gardening, Master Gardeners, New Clubs