Top 10 4-H Summer Experiences

As an Extension Professor for Utah State University I spend most of my time teaching youth in 4-H how to be leaders and scientists. I had some memorable experiences this summer that I'd like to share with you. Here are some highlights:

1. Raised $6,000 for 4-H & FFA Leadership programs with a petting zoo and 4 livestock shows (chickens, rabbits, goats, lambs) at the Washington County Fair.

2. Hosted 5 4-H summer STEM camps with themes based on Star Wars, IronMan, and Hunger Games.

3. Was awarded a $1,000 Gear-Tech-21 camp grant to help fun STEM camps that focused on robotics, GPS, and geospacial technologies.

4. Wrote 3 USU Extension factsheets on the basics, techniques, and operators of Google search (in the peer-review process). Here's a great video all about the science of search:

5. Brought 19 Teen Leaders to 4-H State Contests in Logan, Utah. They all won blue ribbons, 26 total. Some teens even won overall in Fashion Review, Demonstrations, Shooting Sports, and Video Production.

Made a video about it:

6. Spent a week in Panguitch Lake, Utah for Color Country Natural Resource Camp. This camp provides high school students with hands on science, leadership, and recreational activities.

Made a video about it:

7. Took 17 Teens on a 4-H & FFA Leadership Retreat to Escalante, Utah where we camped, canoed, rappelled, and hiked through the most beautiful slot canyons in the world.

8. Recruited 30+ volunteers to judge over 1000 4-H exhibits at the Washington County Fair.

9. Was selected by Google to be a Maker Camp Super Affiliate to host daily Maker Camps broadcasted online over Google+ Hangouts on Air.

10. Most Maker projects require soldering skills. So I first had to learn this art of metal melting, then I it taught to a bunch of really smart kids. We even got into raspberry pi and arduino.