According to the After School Alliance (ASA), the after school field is an essential response to the coronavirus pandemic.  The ASA states that innovative program services support youth families and communities in several ways.  Virtual programs provide safe, enriching activities for their families and youth.  A virtual classroom is the core of many online college degree programs.  Many would say that virtual programs are demanding to the presenter yet convenient to the participant.  Although the COVID-19 Pandemic happened suddenly and has caused stress on our county programing efforts, this pandemic has allowed us to explore programing from a different perspective and has allowed us to reach youth in our community that has never been involved or has little knowledge about 4-H.   In efforts to continue learning and engaging activities for youth in Jefferson County, 4-H Staff developed a virtual STEM camp.  Utilizing media avenues such as Zoom and Google Documents.

STEM Camp was funded by the Jefferson County 4-H Council and donations from Breckinridge County, creating a 100% free STEM Camp for our youth. Staff worked together for a few weeks before STEM Camp to prepare the take-home kits.   Participants signed up using an online portal and participated in a porch pick up to receive all items to make the camp successful.  26 Jefferson County youth participated in the 3 day virtual STEM Camp.  

Each day a different science topic was covered:  Day 1, youth learned about physics.  Utilizing Newton’s Law of Motion, youth made a tabletop hovercraft and built balloon powered Lego cars.  The youth learned how air can move surfaces and how friction can alter the movement process.  Day 2, youth indulge in the world of chemistry.  Youth learned about chemicals, reactions, and how they work together.  Participants gained knowledge about how a chemical reaction occurs and its process by creating a reaction in a bottle and built mini chemical rockets.   Students continued to learn about forces and motion, as well as how a chemical reaction can go through the three states of mater.   Day 3, participants were hands-on with anatomy and physiology.  Breckinridge County shared a bucket of cow eyeballs for a hands-on learning experience for our youth.  With the support of county staff and tutorials from Grayson County, youth were walked through a step by step process to dissect a cow eyeball.  

During the program verbal question and answer period:  100% of the participating youth gained a better understanding and appreciation for STEM.   90% understood the Newton Law of Motion.  100% of the participating youth understood how a chemical is developed and how two chemicals can create a reaction. 100% gained a better understanding of how the eye can function.  And 100% expressed interest in more STEM activities.  STEM Camp didn't only provide an educational opportunity to our youth but it also provided our youth with the opportunity to meet new friends, provided hands-on learning at their own pace, and enhanced youth perspective in the world of science.  Our program allowed students to feel involved in the 4-H program from the comfort of their own home and environment.  This new programing effort has opened our eyes to new ways of program.  Our staff has been in discussion to continue to offer 4-H online learning opportunities to Jefferson County youth for the upcoming year.