Hundreds of Thousands of Young People Conduct World's Largest Youth-Led Science Experiment

CHEVY CHASE, Md., Oct. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of thousands of youth across the United States, and some globally, are conducting the world's largest, youth-led science experiment as part of 4-H National Youth Science Day (4-H NYSD), which launched on October 8. The Rockets to the Rescue experiment was designed by University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and challenges youth to build an aerodynamic craft designed to deliver a payload of food to natural disaster victims.

To date, more than 900 4-H NYSD events have been registered, engaging more than 100,000 youth in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. National 4-H Council hosted the flagship national event at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. on October 8, where more than 300 youth led the experiment. The national sponsors of 2014 4-H NYSD are Lockheed Martin, Hughes (HughesNet satellite internet) and John Deere. Other partners include Afterschool Alliance, Dow AgroSciences, NASA and NBC Learn.

Experts believe nearly all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the next decade will require at least some science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) training, including an estimated 2.8 million STEM jobs that will be created by 2018; however, studies show only 16 percent of American youth are interested in a STEM career. The national rallying event for 4-H Science, 4-H NYSD is an interactive learning experience that gets youth excited about STEM, and spotlights the many ways millions of youth are engaging in 4-H Science programs year-round.

"We realize that the STEM skills gap exists because there is a STEM attraction gap. Many young people are simply not interested in STEM and don't see its relevance for their personal success," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president & CEO, National 4-H Council. "Through 4-H National Youth Science Day and other STEM programming, we engage young people in more than 5 million science projects every year—providing exciting, hands-on projects that show young people how STEM works in real-world careers and that science can be fun."

For the Rockets to the Rescue experiment, youth responded to a fictional scenario: A natural disaster left people without food on a remote, isolated Pacific island, and the youth were asked to build a rocket that can be launched from the mainland, travel over the ocean and deliver high-energy food to the population. The experiment combines two key 4-H issue areas—science and food security—and incorporates aerospace engineering concepts to help youth design a rocket out of everyday materials.

A recent longitudinal study conducted by Tufts University, The Positive Development of Youth: Comprehensive Findings from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development, revealed 4-H programming does indeed get young people more connected to science. According to the study, 4-H'ers are two times more likely to participate in science programs during out-of-school time (grades 10-12) and 4-H girls are two times more likely (grade 10) and nearly three times more likely (grade 12) to take part in science programs, compared to girls in other out-of-school time activities.

For every year since 2008, youth have completed more than 5 million 4-H Science and 4-H NYSD projects in robotics, agricultural science, rocketry, wind power, environmental science and alternative energy. To learn more about all of the

4-H Science programs available to young people, visit www.4-h.org.

B-Roll and photos are available for download at:
4-H NYSD Photos: http://goo.gl/4oJ3Wt 
4-H NYSD B-Roll: http://goo.gl/WbQJ8f

About 4-H:
4-H, the nation's largest youth development and empowerment organization, cultivates confident kids who tackle the issues that matter most in their communities right now. In the United States, 4-H programs empower six million young people through the 109 land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension in more than 3,000 local offices serving every county and parish in the country. Outside the United States, independent, country-led 4-H organizations empower one million young people in more than 50 countries. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of the Cooperative Extension System and 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Learn more about 4-H at www.4-H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/4H.

SOURCE National 4-H Council