Oct. 5, 2004

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AUSTIN – 4-H may not be at the top of everyone's list of technology-savvy organizations. But this year's National 4-H Week theme, 4-H Online!, was chosen to help make the public more aware of the organization's connection to technology.

"We chose the theme 4-H Online! to draw attention to the changes we're making to our national Web site and hope it will reinforce the relationship between 4-H and technology," said Dr. Toby Lepley, learning strategies coordinator for the Texas 4-H and Youth Development program for Texas Cooperative Extension.

"We're making our Internet site fresher and more appealing so young people can get an even better idea of the size, diversity and value of the entire 4-H adventure," he said.

The revised Web site, located at http://4-HUSA.org, is being developed by a group of 14 teens from across the nation. When completed, the site is expected to have interactive elements such as message boards, weblogs, called "blogs," and monitored chat rooms. Other site additions will include a complete list of Web sites for individual 4-H clubs, as well as links to sites with information on county and state 4-H programs.

"4-H'ers already use the Internet extensively to develop interesting and creative Web sites to showcase their activities and programs, so they're very familiar with this technology," Lepley said.

A 2003 Internet survey showed 93 percent of kids ages 10 - 18 use the Internet to find information.

"We estimate that today as many as 95 percent of 4-H'ers use the Internet daily," said Lepley. "The Internet is a great way to reach 4-H members, as well as other young people who might want to join the organization."

Site updates are targeted at 13- to 16-year-olds and will provide easier access to information about 4-H programs throughout the country, he added.

"We hope that in the near future our site technology will allow 4-H members in different counties and states to participate in activities at the same time," he said. "Interactive technology is ideal for many of our activities. Kids in geographically diverse areas would be able to work together, sharing information and experiences."

The Internet is only one area where 4-H uses technology, said Dr. Jeff Howard, associate state program leader for Extension's Texas 4-H and Youth Development program.

"4-H knows young people need to develop good technical skills in order to be competitive in today's world, " he said. "That's why we've made it part of their project work."

One such program is 4-H Aerospace Camp offered through 4-H Children and Parents Involved in Technology and Literacy program in Travis County.

Activities at this summer's five-day camp included: undergoing space-like conditions in an orbital simulator; building and launching model rockets; constructing and racing solar cars and boats, and learning about aerodynamics and global positioning systems.

Shawn McCoy, a 17-year-old 4-H volunteer, designed and built a scale model space shuttle cockpit and created software so participants could communicate with a "virtual" ground control for this year's camp in Travis County.

Daniela Galvan of Austin, 13, a 4-H member who attended this camp, enjoyed the activities and learning about technology.

"We got to use a lot of different technology to built model rockets, and solar cars and boats," she said. "It's all very interesting. And even though I'm planning on becoming a lawyer, I think it's useful to learn about these kinds of things."

Since 1992, more than 800 students from elementary and middle schools throughout Travis County have attended this aerospace camp. Other 4-H aerospace camps are held in different areas of the country.

4-H is also introducing youngsters to technology through activities using geographic information systems and global positioning systems, Howard added.

"GIS and GPS technology can be applied to anything from land management, wildlife tracking, mapping buildings and town planning to responding to medical and law enforcement emergencies," he said.

One way younger 4-Hers learn about GPS is through "scavenger hunts" in which they use a global positioning device to locate small items.

"It's a fun and exciting way for kids to learn about how these systems work," Howard said. "We also have the www.youthfavoriteplaces.org Web site where the kids can post the coordinates of their favorite places to visit in the United States, and other kids can locate them."

Some older 4-H members learn more advanced uses of GIS and GPS technology and are applying what they have learned for their project work. Members of the Dimmitt 4-H club have begun work on a project that will use this technology as a means to reduce emergency vehicle response times.

Other 4-Hers participate in activities using other advanced technology. One is 17-year-old Trey Fawcett, who has been in 4-H for four years. Fawcett, who plans to attend Texas A&M University, wants to specialize in humanoid robotics.

"I've already done a lot of robotics work and built robots while part of 4-H," he said. Now I'm working with them to form a club that will bring geographical technology like GIS and GPS together with robotics, engineering and science."

4-H also brings technology education to the children of military families, said Marilyn Prause, Extension agent for 4-H in Coryell County, and 4-H liaison to the national U.S. Department of Agriculture Military Partnerships program in Washington, D.C.

"Child and Youth Services of the U.S. Army and the Family Member Programs of the U.S. Air Force both require 4-H technology to be offered in our 4-H programs on military bases throughout the U.S.," she said. "We offer different levels of approved computer curriculum to kids of different ages. Younger kids might learn about the basic parts of a computer, while older kids, or more experienced tekkies, can learn how to build their own computer if they want."

4-H also has provided technology staff training to personnel at some military bases and is working to bring such training to other bases in the nation. The organization is currently working toward having its 4-H computer technology curriculum adopted by the remaining branches of the armed forces, Prause said.

Many 4-Hers also attend the annual 4-H Technology Conference in July. During this conference, teams meet to address technology issues of interest to young people through workshops and discussion groups.

"In the more than 100 years since 4-H began, we've always been about preparing young people and their families for the future," said Dr. Martha Couch, Extension's associate director of Texas 4-H and Youth Development. "That same goal applies to their learning technology. Young people are usually more interested in learning new technology, and they take this knowledge home and share it with their family."

Technological literacy is important, but 4-H has much more to offer, Couch added.

"We also have a number of programs and activities to help youngsters learn leadership, responsibility and other positive character traits," she said. "We try to reinforce those traits in all of our programs, including the ones which emphasize technology."