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FIRST and 4-H Join Forces to Inspire Next Generation of Scientific Thinkers

4-H and FIRST logos

Historically, 4-H is known for promoting vocational agriculture in rural areas through clubs for youth. Today, the mission of National 4-H Council is much broader, focusing on promoting the personal growth of 4-H members and building life skills that center on positive self esteem, entrepreneurship, and leadership. In fact, 4-H has expanded its programmatic offerings to focus on providing youth in clubs, after-school programs, and camps with national Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) curriculum such as National Youth Science Day, rocketry, robotics, GPS mapping, biotechnology, and global climate change.

With 4-H’s heritage of innovation and a strong alignment of organizational goals with FIRST, a partnership between the two was a natural fit. In April, 2009, FIRST and National 4-H Council began working together to reach a new group of young people across the nation in a way that will expand 4-H’s existing robotics programs, promote scientific learning and life-skills building among students in grades K-12. Through the FIRST-4H alliance, youth will have greater opportunities to explore science, engineering, and technology careers with more hands-on, team-based experiences designing, building, and programming robots.

There are nearly 400,000 4-H youth throughout the nation already participating in university research-based robotics and engineering programs and 4-H clubs in nearly every state currently participating in FIRST programs. Additionally, five high-school level 4-H teams competed at the 2009 FIRST Championship.

“By joining our efforts in this partnership, 4-H and FIRST will vastly improve SET learning among America’s youth, preparing and energizing our nation’s next generation of science, engineering, and technology leaders,” said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., President and CEO, National 4-H Council. “FIRST’s unique, skill-enhancing, team-building approach to learning is the perfect complement to 4-H’s university-based educational model and ability to reach youth nationwide.”

Through 4-H’s campaign, One Million New Scientists. One Million New Ideas.TM, the organization is working toward the goal of engaging one million new young scientific thinkers by the year 2013. The FIRST-4-H alliance will be a significant step toward achieving this goal.

To learn more about 4-H visit www.4-h.org.