National 4-H Council and HughesNet Team Up to Inspire Future Scientists by Asking the Nation's Youth "Why Do You Love Science?"

CHEVY CHASE, Md., May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of their commitment to introduce more American youth to the excitement of science, National 4-H Council and HughesNet^®, the nation's #1 satellite Internet service from Hughes, launched the "Inspire a Future Scientist" nationwide video contest today, inviting young people to answer the question, "Why do you love science?" From now until June 30, 2014, any interested young person from the ages of 13 to 19 can submit a video of up to 15 seconds that demonstrates his/her love of science and shows how science is connected to everyday life.

The winner will receive a $1,000 prize, a 4-H science kit and a trip to participate in the 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD) event on October 8, 2014 in Washington, D.C. The runner-up will also receive a 4-H science kit and a trip to 4-H NYSD, and all finalists will receive a 4-H science kit. For complete rules and to upload a video, interested contestants can go to www.4-h.org/4hfuturescientist.

According to one study, 2.8 million STEM jobs will be created and ready for skilled employees by 2018. However, studies also show many students with high STEM aptitudes are not pursuing a STEM education. "Inspire a Future Scientist" is designed to spark interest in STEM learning and careers by helping young people use creativity to connect science to everyday things they experience and enjoy.

"It's critical that we get more young people interested in pursuing STEM education and careers. We can capture and hold their interest through hands-on learning with traditional instruction," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. "For over 100 years, 4-H has used its proven, successful methods to do just that—allowing young people to use their hands, as well as their minds to learn how exciting and rewarding a STEM education can be. We're proud to partner with Hughes, a company on the cutting edge of technology, to help make this contest a reality."

"Not only is Hughes the pioneer in satellite broadband Internet service for small, local rural and ex-urban communities in America, we are committed to helping cultivate the next generation of America's technology leaders," said Mike Cook, senior vice president, Hughes North American Division. "And through our partnership with National 4-H Council, the nation's leading youth development organization, we will continue to put that commitment into action."

About 4-H:
4-H is a community of seven million young people around the world learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. 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). In the United States, 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension through more than 3,000 local offices serving every county and parish in the country. Outside the United States, 4-H programs operate through independent, country-led organizations in more than 50 countries.

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

About HughesNetwork Systems:
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) is the world's leading provider of satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative network technologies, managed services, and solutions for enterprises and governments globally. HughesNet is the #1 high-speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 4 million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share. Its products employ global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A, and GMR-1.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations and digital TV solutions. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com.

Hughes and HughesNet are registered trademarks of Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar Company.

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