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2011 4-H National Youth Science Day Hosted By Cooperative Extension Program

Hands-On Learning

4-H is the largest youth development organization in the world. It is an organization that empowers young people to reach their full potential. A vast community of more than 6 million youth and adults working together for positive change, 4-H enables America’s youth to emerge as leaders through hands-on learning, research-based 4-H youth programs and adult mentorship, in order to give back to their local communities. Tennessee serves over 300,000 youth in a variety of program areas.

National 4-H week was October 3-7, 2011. As part of the week, 4-H National Youth Science Day was held October 5. It is the premiere national rallying event for year-round 4-H Science programming, bringing together youth, volunteers and educators from the nation’s 111 land-grant colleges and universities and the Cooperative Extension System to simultaneously complete the National Science Experiment.

The campus-based experiment, spearheaded by Dr. Javiette Samuel, Assistant Professor/4-H Specialist, was held October 5 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Over 130 girls from Smithson-Craighead Academy Middle School converged on campus to participate in National Youth Science Day. This was a special effort to promote girls in science. Faculty members and several graduate students in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences served as facilitators.

During the annual 4-H National Youth Science Day, young people across the nation became scientists for the day. In this year’s experiment, Wired for Wind, youth discovered how to build and test their own version of renewable energy technologies. In this three-part experiment, youth designed and built their own wind turbines, took part in blade pitch variables, and mapped a potential wind farm site in their own state. Youth navigated the discussions on energy consumption as they discovered ways we can reduce our dependence on traditional energy sources.