national youth science day

Millions of youth around the country became “aerospace engineers” for a day on Wednesday, as 4-H National Youth Science Day’s “Rockets to the Rescue” took center stage during National 4-H Week, Oct.  5 – 11.

National 4-H Week is the time when America’s 4-H clubs showcase their 6 million members and the programs in which they participate.  Studies indicate that youth who engage in 4-H’s research-driven programming are four times more likely to contribute to their communities, make healthy life choices, and strive to finish college.

This post is part of a special series written by students celebrating 4-H’s commitment to science.

What is 4-H? Does 4-H offer youth any opportunities to learn about science? As a very involved eight-year 4-H member, I believe I hold the key to unlocking the answers to these questions.

I went back to school yesterday. And my teachers were fourth graders.

Fourth grade students at Hearst Elementary School in Washington, DC taught me and 200 other students about climate change, water quality and carbon footprints through the 4-H National Science Experiment.  All across the country and world, hundreds of thousands of students were doing the same set of experiments today as part of 4-H National Youth Science Day.  We saw how carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere and what its effects can be.  Watching students make connections between their actions and the environment was really exciting for me, and with a sixth grader of my own, it was fun to experience science with these students and get a glimpse of how empowering science can be for these youngsters.

This post is part of a special series written by students celebrating 4-H’s commitment to science.

“Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety- nine, one hu— Whoa watch where you’re going. Can’t a guy do some pushups without being trampled? Let me guess, you’re looking for Carlye? Thought so. Well, she’s at a lamb show. That girl is a 17-year-old livestock lover who spends quite a bit of her free time working, showing animals and just about everything else for Robertson County.

For the third year in a row, hundreds of thousands of youth throughout the country are gathering today to celebrate 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD) by simultaneously conducting the National Science Experiment.

My name is Luana Xiong. I am 14 years old and part of Merced County 4-H in California. I have been in 4-H for five years. Some of the projects I do in 4-H include photography and arts and crafts, but the one part of 4-H that I absolutely love is science.

From the waters that run deep through the earth to the moisture that composes clouds in the sky, water hydrates all life forms on earth. Water also affects global weather that makes earth hospitable for living creatures and plants. This resource is all around us yet we rarely understand the need to conserve and protect our water.