The following is taken from the Session 7 presentation on SET Abilities during the 2012 4-H Science eAcademy:

“Recent research suggests that learning science requires fluency in multiple aspects of conceptual understanding, practices of science, and identification with the scientific community. While 4-H programs have historically emphasized the development of science process skills (which refer to measurable behaviors and transferable abilities reflective of processes involved with scientific reasoning), there is movement towards more authentic engagement in scientific and engineering practices, as outlined in the new Framework for K-12 Science Education. Science and engineering are human enterprises. To be scientifically literate, youth need to jointly understand scientific and engineering concepts, be able to engage in scientific and engineering practices, and see themselves as consumers of and contributors to the scientific community. This session introduces a number of pedagogical frameworks for engaging youth in science and engineering, including 4-H SET Abilities, Exploratorium’s science process skills, and the NGSS scientific and engineering practices.”

Through 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology, youth are engaged in Scientific Inquiry as well as the Engineering Design Process.  This program not only helps youth understand content but also encourages them to do so through hands-on learning practices.  Over the past year, the Kentucky 4-H SET program, through the efforts of volunteers and 4-H Professionals have worked to increase STEM related programming to all audiences. Through educational programming such as the 4-H National Youth Science Day, Aerospace, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Electricity, Geospatial Technology and Robotics, Kentucky 4-H SET programs have reached over 74,000 Youth and close to 3,000 volunteers.  In addition, Leadership development, career exploration, decision-making skills, youth voice and personal development are important parts of the Kentucky 4-H Youth Development program and are offered through state 4-H Teen Leadership Boards.  In 2015-16, the first Kentucky 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology Leadership Board was organized.  In its fifth year (2019-20), this Board was made up of 8 youth and 3 advisors. The goal of this Board is to develop an educational program that provides youth opportunities to: master technical skills and creative abilities; explore careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics; develop leadership abilities and character; build self-confidence; improve public speaking and presentation skills and share knowledge with others.  This year’s SET Leadership Board worked to develop high quality STEM opportunities for KY 4-H youth as well as other youth and adults throughout the Commonwealth and on a National Level at the National Youth Summit on STEM.  Graduates from the SET Leadership Board are going on to pursue their passions as they further their education in areas such as Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Aviation Technology (pilot), Pre-Veterinary/Vet School and Computer Science to mention a few.

County 4-H Programs are constantly providing Positive Youth Development experiences to enhance life skills for participating youth.  These skills will not only help them in relation to STEM fields, but also allow them to make better, more analytical decisions in all aspects of their lives.

Examples of this type of skill development come from many parts of the Commonwealth.  

Madison County 4-H (Scott Darst):  

“According to The Tech Edvocate, “By the time all of our students graduate in a few years or so, over half of the available jobs will be in the STEM field and a large chunk of the rest will require employees to have some STEM knowledge. When students are introduced to robotics in their school years, they can discover any interests and talents that they may have in this job market. Without the knowledge or access to robotics education, there’s no way for students to build interest in these fields. Without robotics education in public schools, who knows how many potential creators and innovators there are who were never given the resources to realize their potential.”

The CES formed a collaboration with one of our local schools to help bring hands-on lessons on robotics and coding to one of the poorest schools in the county.  The CES designed lessons on teaching students the importance of learning technology and how we use it in today’s workforce to spark conversations with the students.  The CES brings in 4-H Robotics curriculum along with Lego Robots so the students can learn by doing.  We do simple tasks together, so the classroom stays on pace but towards the end, the CES allows the students to become creative in how the code.  Other lessons are building Ecobots where the students can be as creative as they can to make a toothbrush move as a robot.  There are also coding lessons where students can learn the science behind how things work.  

At the conclusion of these lessons in the classroom, the CES and the teacher offer a Family SET Day where parents, grandparents, or caregivers come into the classrooms and the students become the teachers for their guest.  The students sit with the adults and they go over how to program robots and create codes.  It’s a fun and educational day where the adults learn from their kids.  Throughout the day, we heard the adults say, “I never knew how these things worked” and “My child is a tech whiz!”

100% of the adult participants loved the fact that their child was the teacher for the day.

100% of the adults learned something new that day.

85% of the students are interested in learning more about careers in science.”

Meade County 4-H (Deana Reed):

“Get STEAM'd up @ Meade County 4-H" provided participants with a variety of opportunities to learn about all the components of a STEAM focused program.  4-H programming addresses science ability (process) and science anchors (content) under guidance of trained (scientifically able) mentors; an increased awareness of SET skills, content, and career possibilities increases engagement of youth in STEAM careers.  Youth learned scientific research techniques, responsible practices and innovative technologies that positively address science, technology, engineering art and math concepts.  The primary purpose of this program was two-fold: 1. to expose participants to STEAM concepts that are present, but perhaps not recognized in their everyday lives and 2. to encourage participants to research and consider a STEAM related career/workforce path and view it as a viable option for their future.

The total program was funded, in part, by the Monument Chemical Community Partnership Initiative Grant.  The focus of this $10,000 grant was youth programming during out-of-school time.  The 4-H Youth Development focus was to provide 4-H educational programming using a variety of delivery modes while allowing the youth participants to self-select those that were of interest to them.  The primary purpose of this program was two-fold: 1. to expose participants to STEAM concepts that are present, but perhaps not recognized in their everyday lives and 2. encourage participants to research and consider a STEAM related career/workforce path and view it as a viable option for their future. The subject-specific programs covered during the program, based on 4-H curriculum and the Kentucky 4-H project requirements, included:  

•            4-H Teen Environmental Camp – day camp, youth ages 14-19, held at WKY 4-H Camp, collaboration with camp staff, this was a multi-county (Meade, Breckinridge & Hardin) that resulted in 20 youth participants, 5 adult volunteers, and 4-H camp staff.  

•            Exploring Food Science: The Secrets of Baking – short term, youth ages 9-18.   This day camp lead 16 youth through various experiments using basic kitchen and baking supplies.

•            Science Fun with Kitchen Chemistry – short term, youth ages 9-18.  This day camp lead 12 youth in a variety of chemistry experiments using ingredients found in every kitchen.

•            Exploring Food Science: The Inner Mysteries of Fruits & Vegetables – short term, youth ages 9-18 – Unfortunately this day camp was cancelled due to COVID-19 meeting restrictions.

•            4-H Fine Arts Club – community club, monthly meetings, youth ages 9-18.  This group of 5 youth met monthly, until COVID-19 meeting restrictions were implemented.   In an effort to give the members an opportunity to continue learning about and creating art, the 4-H Youth Development Agent created a 7-week, at-home program for members to complete on their own.  Project kits were compiled and mailed to members each week and each week focused on a different art concept; including:  “seeing” emotion in artwork, making a color wheel, object breakdown, origami, two-dimensional texture and movement on a page, negative versus positive space in artwork and tessellations, balance and rhythm, and contrast and variation in art.  Weekly, members completed a specific project assignment and in the final week, members designed their own projects that would be eligible to enter as a 4-H project for competition.  

•            4-H Fine Arts Afterschool program – 5-day, afterschool program, middle school youth, collaboration with Family Resource Center at local middle school.   Twelve youth attended this 4-week afterschool program held at the Extension Office and focused on art concepts such as: two-dimensional texture and movement on a page, negative versus positive space in artwork, balance and rhythm, and contrast and variation in art.  Weekly, members completed a specific project assignment.

•            Meade County STEAM self-study program – independent study project, youth ages 9-18.  Twenty, self-study packets were requested and mailed out.  This at home study program was not part of the original grant plan but provided youth and families STEAM activities to do at home together.

•        COVID-19 Spring/Summer 2020 4-H Virtual Project kits – kit topics included:   rocketry, aerospace, owl pellet dissection, cow eye dissection and an experiment explaining the science behind glow sticks.  A total of 224 kits were disseminated into the community via pick up from the Extension Office 4-H “Grab & Go” box or through the community partnership with the FRYSC/Meade County Schools lunch feeding sites.  As an additional virtual treat, the 4-H Youth Development Agent visited a make-shift lab at Monument Chemical and partnered with two of their employees to create a Facebook live event, hosted on the Meade County 4-H Facebook page, to demonstrate an experiment explaining the science behind glow sticks.   The Monument Chemical company took this experiment a step further and purchased the chemicals needed (approximately $300 value) to create a larger than life glow stick during the live event.  This event was also hosted by and watched on the Kentucky 4-H and Kentucky SET Facebook pages; this allowed for an extended outreach to youth, in Kentucky and possibly beyond.
• The grant also allowed for the Meade County 4-H Program to purchase equipment to create a 10-unit laptop lab for use with educational programming.  The plans were to begin using this computer lab in the spring and into the summer for STEAM career exploration opportunities and educational programs.   Unfortunately, the meeting restrictions for COVID-19 has delayed this program plan until educational meetings can begin again.

Youth received 6+ hours of hands-on education in a non-school setting from Extension staff or volunteers; this unique delivery mode provides education over a short, concentrated time.  A longitudinal study of over 7,000 youth indicated the positive impact of 4-H hands-on learning on the development of life skills (Lerner et al. 2013) and Meade county 4-H programs in the past have successfully indicated positive life skills development. One of Extension’s strengths is its flexibility across counties and states to address local needs to achieve locally desired outcomes (Diem, 2016).”

Nelson County 4-H (Danielle Hagler):

“With a shortage of people to fill high demand, high skilled technology & related fields, Kentucky 4-H is uniquely positioned to provide opportunities for hands-on scientific learning and discovery in 4-H clubs and educational programming.to youth in the areas of Science Engineering and Technology (SET).  

Nelson County 4-H has supported SET educational programming by partnering with local schools, providing training opportunities for youth and adult volunteers, seeking grant funding and utilizing program support and 4-H council funding.  Delivery methods, School Enrichment, Robotics and Electricity day camps and clubs, Summer Camp Classes in Pro-Bots and Lego Challenge. Since 2010, over 7,000 Nelson County Youth have participated in 4-H SET programming.

During October 2019, Nelson County 4-H partnered with 19 local classrooms to host the 2019 National Youth Science Day (NYSD) challenge, Game Changers. As described by4.H.org, "Designed by Google and West Virginia Extension service, Game Changers teaches kids ages 8-14 how to use computer science (CS) to create games, solve problems and engage with topics they’re passionate about. Game Changers uses physical activity and puzzles to teach kids important CS concepts and problem-solving skills, creating real-world connections between computer science and civic engagement, healthy living and agriculture."

Over 475 fourth and fifth graders took part in a NYSD day at their school.  The schools provided the space for the day and help support ongoing 4-H involvement from their students.    Four rotation sessions were led by 4-H staff and volunteers (youth and adults).  Two of the youth volunteers are members of the KY 4-H science Engineering and Technology Board and part of a Google CS Pathways program.  This is their second and fourth year of volunteering to assist in teaching the 4-H NYSD program.  In their first years, they assisted the local 4-HYD Agent in facilitating the activities. The next year, they co-taught with the 4-HYD Agent.  This program year, they were able to independently teach the lessons to full classrooms, with a teacher present to observe.

One Nelson County 4-Her has found his career path through 4-H SET programs.  Beginning as a young 4-Her he explored many clubs but found a passion for robotics.  Working with his mom, they created a 4-H Robotics club in Nelson County.  He has been a member of the club, served multiple year on the Kentucky 4-H SET Leadership Board, educated over 1,500 youth through the 4-H National Youth Science Day experiments, and served as a mentor to many younger 4-Hers.  Through his participation in the SET Board, he has attended and presented at National Conferences such as the Makers Summit, participated in national contests and even worked with mentors from Google.  During his senior year, this 4-Her was selected into a prestigious Greater Knox Coding Academy.  The intent of the Academy is for defense contractors to have a pool of IT certified applicants to support missions at Fort Knox.  At completion of the program, he will have received the coding certifications needed to potentially obtain a $60,000 a year job right out of high school.”

There are many other examples of the positive influence of the 4-H SET Project Area on Kentucky youth.   As interest continues to grow, Kentucky 4-H will continue to prepare our next generation with the skills needed to not only survive, but to thrive.