UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- "High-energy" aptly describes the activities surrounding this year’s Pennsylvania 4-H Week, March 16-22, as the organization celebrates more than a century of youth development by highlighting a new science, engineering and technology program.

In conjunction with a national 4-H initiative for new programming in science, engineering and technology, "The Science of Energy" is being introduced across the state. The highly interactive after-school program features energy experiments and activities to teach basic and advanced concepts to 3,000 kids in every county across Pennsylvania, says Christy Bartley, state program leader for Pennsylvania 4-H.

"Studies have shown that our young people are not prepared with the necessary 21st-century science, engineering and technology workforce skills to compete in our global economy," Bartley says. "Currently, the 4-H program reaches 5.9 million youth nationally in urban, suburban, and rural communities, and Pennsylvania 4-H educators and volunteers are ready to take on this critical challenge. Across the state, programs are being offered to youth of all ages in the areas of robotics, geospatial technologies, forensics and other subjects, and this expands the focus to energy. 4-H members also are being challenged to ‘find the science’ in all 4-H projects and in their daily lives.

"What our children learn today about energy will benefit them as they become leaders in their communities and users of energy," she says. "The more we can build understanding of how to use alternative energies, the better. For instance, there are windpower fields in our state, so we’re teaching why windpower is important," she says.

The curriculum looks at motion, light, heat and chemical energy with a more hands-on orientation than they receive in the classroom, she says. It will enhance what they learn in school and will help younger children grasp the basics of energy so that they can add to that understanding each year.

"Energy has become a hot topic in the adult world, and the interest in energy and biofuels is great," Bartley says. "So children need to understand alternative fuels and alternative ways of getting and using energy. Also, energy use has a great impact on our environment; that’s a huge policy issue that children should be aware of if we want to raise the knowledgeable citizens of future."

Now celebrating its 106th year, 4-H is a nonformal education program for youth between the ages of 8 and 19 that helps them become self-directed, productive and contributing members of a diverse society. As a youth-development education program of Penn State Cooperative Extension, Pennsylvania 4-H served 170,000 youth in the state last year through a variety of delivery modes, including hobby clubs, in-school enrichment, after-school clubs and camping.

Bartley says residents will see other special activities celebrating Pennsylvania 4-H Week in almost every county. "It varies from county to county," she says. "You may see special 4-H Day activities for kids at your local mall, or you’ll see special store window displays on Main Street in your town. Many 4-Hers are preparing for Pennsylvania 4-H Capital Days in April, when they’ll go to Harrisburg and meet with state representatives. When you’re in 4-H, the emphasis is on community service and leadership development."

More information on Pennsylvania 4-H Week and the 4-H chapter nearest you is available on the Web at http://pa4h.cas.psu.edu.

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EDITORS: Contact Christy Bartley at 814-863-3828, or by e-mail at cek4@psu.edu.

Writer-Editor: Gary Abdullah 814-863-2708 gxa2@psu.edu