National 4-H Council and the Noyce Foundation hosted a ground-breaking meeting of America's largest youth development organizations at National 4-H Youth Conference Center on February 7. The focus of the executive roundtable meeting was on the important topic of out-of-school time Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

CEOs, senior leaders and youth representatives from Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Girls Inc., Girl Scouts and YMCA -- together with 4-H Headquarters, Cooperative Extension and National 4-H Council – met with corporate and research partners to share information, learn from each other and collaborate on ways to work together on the future development of impactful STEM learning.

During the meeting, 4-H unveiled a comprehensive report, 4-H Science Initiative from Inception to Impact, which reviews the multi-year impact of the 4-H efforts, lessons learned and ideas for developing more promising programs in the future. To download a copy of the full report, go to http://www.4-h.org/youthstem/

You can also follow developments in this cross-agency collaboration on the 4-H Twitter site with #youthSTEM.

InvenTeams - Introducing Students to the World of Invention

The InvenTeam initiative, created by the Lemelson-MIT Program, offers an unparalleled opportunity for high school age youth to cultivate their creativity and experience invention. InvenTeams are teams of high school youth/students, teachers, and mentors that receive grants up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems. Each InvenTeam chooses its own problem to solve.

In 2012 the Essex and Clinton County's NY Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) group received an InvenTeam grant for their invention idea to develop small pre-filters to improve the operation of bio-sand filters to provide clean water to households in developing countries (learn more here). They are the first 4-H club to receive an InvenTeam grant.

You can visit the InvenTeams web site (http://web.mit.edu/inventeams/) to learn more about the InvenTeams program and how to apply. 4-H and Lemelson-MIT are working on resources to support and promote youth invention. We hope to see more 4-H clubs participate in InvenTeams. Applications must be completed online. The deadline date is April 5, 2013.

The February/March 2013 issue of the Illinois Leader is now available for download from the portal under Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It will also be posted shortly to the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Leader Resources: Illinois Leader. Please share this newsletter with your 4-H leaders via email, by linking it on your county/Unit web site, by including it in your county/Unit newsletter, or by providing paper copies at leader meetings.

Just a reminder that there are some great resources online related to the 4-H robotics curriculum.

Online facilitator resources and professional development modules can be found at: http://www.4-h.org/resource-library/curriculum/4-h-robotics/facilitator-resources/professional-development/#Expand3

For example, there is a professional development module on Community Resource Cultivation: Participants develop strategies for building community support and continue to develop the action plan started; this includes strategies and templates for recruiting, funding and marketing a robotics program.

National 4-H Council has invested significant resources into an evaluation of the 4-H Science (SET) mission mandate.

Evaluation has included:
1) A national youth survey (YEAK - Youth Engagement, Attitudes and Knowledge)
2) An implementation study based on state leader and educator interviews; examines the process and content features of successful science programs
3) A national enrollment survey; includes # and type of science programs, enrollment figures, etc.
4) A case study report of eight promising 4-H science programs; includes insight into strategies for overcoming challenges identified in the national implementation study

These resources have been posted to the portal under:
4-H Contacts / Evaluation / Science Study / National 4-H Science Evaluation

You can also locate these materials at: http://www.4-h.org/about/youth-development-research/science-program-research/

Nearly 60 llinois 4-H staff attended the 2012 NC Region Science Academy in St. Louis. An exciting followup to this professional development opportunity is being offered as the 2013 4-H Science E-Academy.

Over 12 interactive, online sessions will be offered over three weeks. All staff involved in supporting 4-H science volunteers are encouraged to participate. "Master" volunteers who play a role in supporting and/or training other volunteers are also invited to participate. Sessions will be accessed online. Each participant is encouraged to be at their own computer. More information on the session topics will be provided soon.

SAVE THE DATES!!!!

February 26 & 28

March 5 & 7

March 12 & 14

Daily Schedule: (Central Standard Time)
Plenary Session - 11:00-11:45
First Interactive Session - 12:00-1:30
Second Session - 2:00 - 3:30
Coffee House - 3:45 - 4:15

Here are some links of resources that might be helpful in your 4-H Science Programming

Generation STEM Report www.girlscounts.org/research

Graphical representation of above report on "What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math http://www.transportationyou.org/wp-content/uploads/InfoGraphic-STEM-report.pdf

NIU STEMFest 2012, Saturday, October 20 from 10am to 5pm (free event with many hands-on activities, challenges and demostrations) http://stemfest.niu.edu/stemfest/

6^th Annual Conference for Promoting STEM: Recruiting and Retaining Underrepresented Students in STEM, October 26, 8:30am – 5:00pm, Oakton Community College, www.oakton.edu/cp-stem

Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (2010), AAUW Report http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/whysofew.cfm

Illinois Girls Collaborative Project (mini-grants for engaging girls in STEM) Due: October 31,2012 http://www.ngcproject.org/mini-grants

Design Squad Nation (videos, downloadable inquiry activities, career exploration tools, animations, challenges and more) A great resource for 4-H science camps, science excited activities, SPIN clubs and more. http://pbskids.org/designsquad/ (be sure to click the "parents and educators" button for more resources)

The Year 1 Camp curriculum is now available as a downloadable, off-line Adobe Air "app." The app will run on Windows and Mac operating systems.

Download the GEAR-Tech-21 Year 1 Camp Curriculum app: http://4hset.unl.edu/GT21/

A current version of Adobe Air is required to run the GEAR-Tech-21 app. If you need Adobe Air, it is available as a free download here: http://get.adobe.com/air/

The app is FREE and will continue to be free throughout the duration of the GEAR-Tech-21 NSF grant period.

For more information, contact Kathy Morgan, kmorgan3@unl.edu, 402-472-5027

I am excited to announce that this year's NYSD challenge is called "Eco-Bot" and involves the design of simple "bristle bots". The learning guide includes activities in which young people design different barriers (e.g. paper cups, string, etc.) to keep the bristle bot within an area of an environmental oil spill. http://www.4-h.org/4-h-national-youth-science-day/ This activity is accessible to all ages and engages interests in robotics, stewardship of the environment, and science inquiry more broadly.

Due to generous support from Caterpillar, we have funding to purchase up to 2 kits/county.

We are asking that educators meet with their unit 4-H staff to decide how many kits you would like to request and start thinking about how you might use these. Some ideas might include:

• A booth at an event already planned for the fall
• A booth in a local business or museum where there is a lot of foot traffic
• A specific NYSD event at your county office, partner school or other youth organization
• A recruitment activity for a new robotics SPIN club
• A leadership opportunity for an existing robotics SPIN club
• Involve 4-H federation youth, members of an existing robotics SPIN club, or members enrolled in environmental/natural resources to help do the NYSD activity with younger youth

The kit order form has been posted to the portal under: 4-H Contacts/ScienceExcited/2012 NYSD Kit Order Form. We are asking each educator to complete the attached form by July 20^, 2012 and send by fax/mail/scanned email to Dorothy Horsch at dhorsch@illinois.edu in the State 4-H Office.

If you have any questions or want to brainstorm ideas, please let me know!

Lisa (lbdiaz@illinois.edu)

Responses to the 4-H Career Development Survey have been coming in from 12th grade 4-H members from across Illinois and the data is starting to be compiled by the Survey Research Lab. Your support of the data collection process is greatly appreciated. Dan Horn has posted several new items to the portal to assist you in sending email reminders to non-respondents. Items needed to complete the next steps include: 1) Reminder Letter for Survey (includes content for the email reminder); 2) Instructions to Generate Reminder Emails for Survey; 3) Spreadsheet containing Completed Codes as of 5-23-2012; and 4) Instructions for Creating Spreadsheet. The Career Development Study Task List identifies target dates for sending email reminders as May 24-June 2, with the optimal response rate being for email surveys sent on a Monday, Thursday, or Friday.

If you need technical assistance, please contact Dan Horn, dchorn@illinois.edu; or call 217-333-0826. All of the information associated with the 4-H Impact Studies are posted on the Portal; 4-H Contacts; Evaluation.

Career Development Study – The Email invitation is now ready to send to 12^th grade 4-H members in your unit. The target dates for sending the email invitation are May 3-12, with the optimal response rate being for email surveys sent on a Monday, Thursday, or Friday. Dan Horn has posted several items to the portal to assist you with this process including: 1) Instructions for Creating a Spreadsheet for Career Study through DMS which helps you obtain contact information for 12^th grade 4-H Members (creates an Excel spreadsheet with member's name and email); 2) Instructions for Generating Emails for Career Development Survey (initiates sending customized emails to all 12-grade members simultaneously); 3) Codes for Surveys (Unique codes assigned to your Unit); and 4) the 2012 Evaluation of 4-H Programs in Illinois – Survey Invitation Email: 4-H Career Development which is the IRB approved document text to send to the 12^th grade 4-H members.

If you need technical assistance, please contact Dan Horn, dchorn@illinois.edu, or call 217-333-0826. If you have questions regarding who should receive the survey, when to send the initial invite, and later follow-up, or other research procedures, please contact Denise Legvold, dlegvold@illinois.edu, or call 217-333-0910. If email or internet access is not available, paper-copies of the invitation can be sent, but NOT paper-copies of the survey itself. Additional information related to the email reminder for non-respondents will be posted to the portal mid-May. Please refer to the Career Development Study Task List for a complete listing of the steps to follow for survey distribution. We look forward to using data collected from this survey to understand how 4-H influences the post-secondary decisions of 4-H members.

4-H Club Experience Study – Many of you have been successful in completing club visits and administering the 4-H Club Experience surveys in your Unit. Please refer to the 4-H Club Experience Study Task List as you move through the process if you have questions OR contact Pat McGlaughlin, patm@illinois.edu; or call 217-333-0913. Important steps to remember: 1) Keep the surveys for each club in a separate envelop with a cover sheet (template posted on the portal); 2) Mail packets of completed surveys to the Survey Research Lab at the address provided on the Task List; and 3) Email a copy of the completed Random Sample Spreadsheet to Pat McGlaughlin when all data collection is complete in your Unit.

4-H Science Study –Remember to identify 4-H science clubs, programs and events in your unit to target for the 4-H Science Survey. Even though the completed surveys are not due until September 1^st, it is important to schedule appointments to administer the surveys when the clubs or groups are meeting, and when the science focused events are scheduled. If you have any questions related to the 4-H Science Study, please contact Lisa Diaz, lbdiaz@illinois.edu; or call 217-333-0910.

Thank you for your assistance in this data collection process!

Under the direction of 4-H YD Educators each county is engaged in collecting data this spring and summer in preparation for fall reports. Please review carefully the Task List for each study that has been posted to the Portal under Evaluation. Note the tasks that can be completed now while we wait for IRB approval. DO NOT communicate details of the study to 4-H members until after we have IRB approval. It is critical that appropriate research methods are used in collecting and handling data. Look to your 4-H YD Educator for guidance.

Educators – task lists, overview slides, team meeting recordings, sample impact documents, and supporting research references have been posted for your use as you plan with Unit staff.

Thank you everyone for your assistance. This is an exciting statewide endeavor that will benefit everyone as we strive to tell our impact story locally and statewide.

Keep an eye on the 4-H Council Professional Development Calendar for upcoming webinars on a wide range of topics: http://www.4-h.org/professional-calendar/ If you aren't able to attend at the scheduled time, archives of the webinars can be accessed on the 4-H Council website as well.


See the following topics related to robotics:

Recruiting Volunteers and Community Partners 4/3/12 2:00-3:15

4-H Robotic$!4/18/12 2:00-3:15

WeDoRobots, What are they and what can 4-H do with them 5/2/12 2:00-3:15

Introduction to Robotic Opportunities for 4-H Programs 5/23/12 2:00-3:15

All About FIRST Competitions 5/30/12 2:00-3:15

4-HMindstormNXTRobots 6/20/12 2:00-3:15

4-H Junk Drawer Robotics7/18/12 2:00-3:15

Implementing the 4-H Robotics Platforms 8/15/12 2:00-3:15

Robotic Opportunities for 4-H Programs 9/5/12 2:00-3:15

4-H Robotics Programming– All Year! Every Year!9/12/12 2:00-3:15

Planning Robotics Trainings and Professional Development11/14/12 2:00-3:15

Robotics Summer Camps – making it happen 12/12/12 2:00-3:15

Because of the growing attendance at the Annual 4-H State Robotics Competition, we would like to take advantage of the opportunity to expose these youth to a range of research advances in robotics and possible future college/career pathways.

Prior to the April 14, 2012 competition, and concurrent with the registration time for teams, several booths with hands-on activities and demos will be setup for participants to explore. These will include both campus/research and industry/workplace examples of robotics. In addition, there will be a crop science table of hands-on activities that connects to this year's "FarmBot" challenge.

Date: April 14, 2012
Location: Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), 201 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820

Time: 11:30am-12:30pm

This event is open to the public. Participants are invited to stay and observe the 4-H Robotics Competition that begins at 1:00pm.

For questions or more information, contact:
Lisa Bouillion Diaz
lbdiaz@illinois.edu
217-333-0910 

Event: 4-H Robotics

Description: Recruiting Volunteers and Community Partners to support 4-H Robotics Programs

Presenters: Amy Rhodes and Ann Sherrard, Extension Educators, 4-H Youth Development, University of Maryland Extension

Host: Partner Ops Aconnect 2

When: Wednesday 22 February 2012, 02:00 PM - 03:15 PM Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

To register for this event, please go the following link:

http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/e3werlhoaua/event/registration.html

Welcome to the FarmBot Challenge!

Teams of 3 or more 4-H members (ages 9-18) are invited to compete in this year's statewide robotics challenge. The FarmBot objective is to collect two crops from the "field" and sort/deposit into separate bins. Each team that registers will receive ten (10) 1-inch wooden blocks free of cost to prepare for this challenge.

Date:April 14, 2012

Time:1:00-5:00pm (Noon registration)

Location:MP6 Gym, Athletics Recreation Center on UIUC campus


For registration forms and more information on the FarmBot Challenge: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/events/4hroboticschallenge.cfm

For questions, contact Lisa Diaz lbdiaz@illinois.edu or 217-333-0910

Congratulations to all the 2012 4th Annual State 4-H Robotics Competition Award Winners:

Top scoring senior team: Got Robot (Kane County)
Top scoring junior team: Brimfield HUB (Peoria County)
Top scoring rookie junior team: L-Cubed (Macon County)
Rookie Team Award: Crunchy Froggers (Kane County)
Best Teamwork Award - Sr Team: 4-H RoboStorms High School (Macon County)
Best Teamwork Award - Jr Team: SPN/Team Nova (Cook County)
Judge's Choice Award: 9-Volt Junkers (Kane County)

Attention, 4-H GIS-GPS enthusiasts: There is a Facebook page just for you! I invite you to "like" the page and contribute your 4-H GIS-GPS stories to it, at https://www.facebook.com/4hgisgps. Please note that this is an organizational Facebook page, rather than a closed group, so all posts are public. If you want to post to the page, you'll need to use your Facebook login. (Colleagues, please share this information with your 4-H'ers, leaders and other interested people.)

Do you have 4-H'ers or clubs interested in robotics? Consider joining this new "IL 4-H Robotics" Facebook group and help spread the word.

Teleconference: 1-866-628-8620 Code 185831

This webinar is part of a series provided by National 4-H Council and covers topics of 4-H science curriculum, volunteerism, fund development and evaluation. To access toolkits of related resources, a full calendar of upcoming events (and archive of past webinars) go to http://www.4-h.org/resource-library/professional-development-learning/science-training-guides-resources/