Harris County 4-H Revolution of Responsibility Award

National 4-H Revolution of Responsibility Award Winner

Harris County 4-H Family Science Night, Houston, Texas

4-H National Youth Science Day inspired Harris County to form new 4-H Science partnerships that would build capacity for reaching youth audiences with exciting projects in science, engineering and technology.

In September, Texas AgriLife Extension and Harris County 4-H Urban Youth Development (UYD) partnered with Alief Independent School District After School Program (ASP) to bring the Wired For Wind experiment to diverse youth audiences. Extension staff secured $1,500.00 in grant funds for the project from Texas 4-H Science Liaison, Matt Tarpley in support of a “family science night” event.

Extension staff trained the Alief ASP site staff to teach one hour sessions on wind energy production using the Wired for Wind kits and curriculum to the third and fourth grade students at Outley Elementary School. Youth worked in teams to perform experiments and test different wind turbine designs. They used amp meters to test the level of energy produced by the turbines; recorded data; prepared graphs to illustrate the results; and event prepared a science research display and presentation.

On Oct. 6, 2011, Alief ASP and 4-H UYD hosted the Alief After School Family 4-H Science Night at Outley Elementary to showcase the youth projects and promote 4-H Science programs. Thirty-nine third and fourth grade youth presented their research and demonstrated the power of wind turbines to more than 60 of their peers, followed by a school-wide science night in which they presented their findings to over 150 youth and adults. Participants heard about the benefits of wind energy and the new green energy youth leaders helped the community recognize wind energy as a viable source of power.

The wind energy theme inspired opportunities to include other related learning stations at the event including Bubbleology (the science of bubbles); wind bag experiments to explore air pressure; and pin wheel designs built to harness the wind. These supplemental activities connected science to other aspects of green learning emphasizing science in all aspects of our daily lives.