11:30 a.m., July 24, 2009----Approximately 65 youths between the ages of eight and 17 took part in the Delaware 4-H Science Day on May 30. The students were able to expand their scientific horizons by learning to build Mars Rovers, looking at mystery soils, and looking at the sun through a telescope with a solar filter. At the end of the day, students also built and launched bottle rockets.

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For more than a century, the national 4-H organization has prepared the country's youth for success by focusing on programs in the field of agriculture science, mechanics, entrepreneurship, and the natural sciences. The 4-H youth development program is able to take hands-on learning to a new level by having a strong connection to the research and resources of more than 106 Land Grant universities, including the University of Delaware.

Jordan Ashby, a Delaware 4-H youth development and Cooperative Extension educator, stated, “We are always trying to stay at the forefront of the science, engineering, and technology fields by introducing innovative and exciting activities and projects to our youth. Our goal is to partner with the University of Delaware community as well as outside companies and organizations in order to utilize their expertise and resources. This gives us the opportunity to introduce science, engineering, and technology based careers to our youth and for them to get a valuable hands-on learning experience.”

In 2008, the 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) program in Delaware provided more than 38,000 youth exposure to the scientific community through a variety of hands-on learning programs outside of their normal school curriculum. Going above and beyond the classroom, 4-H out-of-school programs include but are not limited to studies in animal science, environmental science, aerospace, and engineering.

In order to cater to the varied interests of its members, state 4-H is looking to make the SET program area specific instead of having generalized clubs. The 4-H program is also in the midst of forming a partnership with NASA to utilize aerospace and rocketry programs.

During the inaugural year of Science Day, local 4-H youth flocked to the Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation Outpost in Smyrna for a fun filled day of science experiments. Standing behind a telescope 10 times her size, one student's face filled with intense concentration as she looked through the solar filter to see the glaring sun. The student, a 6-year-old from Seaford, is very excited to enter the first grade this fall and take her science knowledge to the next level. Not only does she find science to be a fascinating subject, this infatuation is a family affair, creating ample bonding time with her three older sisters.

Jan Seitz, associate dean of the UD's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and director of Cooperative Extension, said she is very impressed by the measures 4-H has taken to help improve the science literacy and aptitude of today's youth.

“I am proud that on Oct. 7, 4-H is once again holding its 4-H National Youth Science Day when millions of young people across America will engage in the same experiment regarding a most timely issue - energy - exploring alternative fuels through the national experiment, Biofuel Blast,” Seitz said. “Through this opportunity, along with its ongoing SET curriculum, 4-H continues to help youth discover that the exploration of science is a cool and fun thing to do and that their work in this area will most certainly make a difference in our world both today and in the future.”

For more information about upcoming Delaware 4-H SET projects and programs, or about the national 4-H SET program, visit the Web sites.