Cargill Boosts 4-H Science
with $500,000 Gift
Chevy Chase, MD (July 26, 2010) – Cargill has provided National 4-H Council with a $500,000 gift that will help to develop, strengthen and implement 4-H science programming in five key states. The funding, delivered through multi-year grants, will provide 4-H with the ability to reach even more young people with innovative, after-school programming in the fields of science, engineering, technology and applied mathematics.
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska will each receive substantial grants to help establish new science-related programs. These programs will be designed to engage current 4-H youth as well as to inspire and attract young people who are new to the organization. This generous gift from Cargill brings 4-H even closer to achieving the ambitious goal of engaging one million new youth in the fields of science, engineering and technology by the year 2013 to help overcome our nation’s workforce development challenges and combat the shortage of American young people pursuing college majors and careers in the sciences.
“Sparking an interest in science and building engineering skills in today’s youth will spur innovative solutions for tomorrow, which is important throughout business and industry,” said Mark Murphy, assistant vice president of Cargill Corporate Affairs. “4-H programs inspire young people to explore new areas of interest. We are proud to continue Cargill’s long partnership with 4-H.”
Today, more than five million 4-H youth are actively engaged in science related projects that offer a wide variety of educational opportunities—from agricultural and animal sciences to rocketry, robotics, renewable energy, environmental protection and computer science. 4-H out-of -school programming, in-school enrichment programs and camps are developed by the nation’s 109 Land-Grant Universities, and implemented by 3,100 Cooperative Extension offices across the nation.
“We are excited to have Cargill as a partner to help us continue to open doors to more American youth who, once exposed, become passionate about science,” said Donald T. Floyd Jr., National 4-H Council president and CEO. “We know that involving youth early in hands-on scientific exploration is the key to establishing a foundation for them to build an interest in and an excitement about pursuing careers in science, engineering and technology.”
There is proof of 4-H’s positive impact on youth. According to longitudinal research at the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University, we now know that if a child is in 4-H, he or she is more likely to be an engaged, effective citizen than if in any other youth organization. 4-Her’s are:
- Nearly two times more likely to get better grades in school;
- Nearly two times more likely to plan to go to college;
- 41 percent less likely to engage in risky behaviors; and
- 25 percent more likely to positively contribute to their families and communities.
In addition, The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development found that when compared to other youth, young people involved in 4-H perform better in science, engineering and technology subjects and are more likely to pursue science careers.
About 4-H:
4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA. 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 Land-Grant Universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-H.org or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H.
About Cargill:
Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 138,000 people in 67 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business. For more information, visit www.cargill.com.
4-H Expands Environmental Science Education with $1.1 Million from Toyota
Chevy Chase, MD (June 3, 2010) – Today, Toyota announced its continued support of 4 H’s youth focused water quality and conservation programming with a $1.1 million gift to fund the expansion of 4-H2O Community Projects and sponsor 4-H’s 2010 National Youth Science Day.
4-H2O Community Projects is a national environmental stewardship project currently serving California, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Texas and West Virginia. Through 4-H2O Community Projects, youth learn to protect and conserve freshwater resources by participating in activities such as water quality testing, watershed cleanup events and constructing rain gardens, while strengthening math and science skills. In its first year, 4-H2O Community Projects saved 138 million gallons of water and with Toyota’s continued support 4-H will expand the project to serve Indiana and New York City, reaching more than 14,000 youth in at least 21 communities.
“The generous and continued support of Toyota and the Toyota USA Foundation has vastly helped to strengthen and broaden 4-H’s environmental science education efforts,” said Donald T. Floyd Jr., president and CEO of National 4-H Council. “Through this innovative programming, 4-H continues to develop generations of great American thinkers who are ready to step up in this complex and changing world to find solutions to the problems our nation faces today.”
Toyota will also join as a sponsor of the third-annual 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD). 4 H’s premiere rallying event, National Youth Science Day will take place this year on Oct. 6, 2010 and bring together hundreds of thousands of youth from all across the nation to simultaneously complete the 2010 National Science Experiment, 4-H2O. Toyota’s sponsorship of this event will help to significantly raise the level of community outreach surrounding NYSD and expand the event’s Web presence. This year’s National Science Experiment, 4-H2O will bring youth face-to-face with a demonstration of the importance of water quality and its effect on climate change. Youth will also learn how a human’s emission of carbon dioxide can affect aquatic animals, plants and other living organisms in lakes, streams, rivers and oceans.
“We are proud that in our third year of 4-H2O we are able expand the partnership in so many ways, including bringing the water conservation programs to the new states of Indiana and New York,” said Pat Pineda, group vice president of philanthropy at Toyota Motor North America. “It is truly meaningful to our company to support an organization that has such a tremendous impact on America’s youth.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 9 manufacturing plants. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.
Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $493 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.
For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.
About 4-H:
4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA. 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 Land-Grant Universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-h.org or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H.
4-H Presents Top Honors at First Annual Legacy Awards Gala
 Chevy Chase, MD (April 22, 2010) – Today, National 4-H Council will host the first annual 4-H Legacy Awards Gala to honor extraordinary individuals and corporations that have made a lasting impact in their efforts to raise up America’s 4-H youth development program. 4-H enriches the lives of more than six million young people around the country each year.
The Gala, which will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C., promises to be an exciting evening filled with tributes to the honorees, a keynote address by National 4-H Council president and CEO, Donald T. Floyd, Jr., and a celebration of 108 years of preparing young people to step up to challenges and take the lead in their communities and their world.
Three awards will be presented during the span of the evening. DuPont executive vice president and Chair of the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees, James C. Borel, will present the Abraham Lincoln Vision Award to Dan Glickman, current president of Refugees International and former Chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. Glickman’s epic career in public service has spanned from School Board president and Kansas Congressman to his tenure as the Secretary of Agriculture. Glickman is a member of National 4-H Council’s Board of Trustees and has demonstrated a life-long commitment to youth advocacy.
For more than 50 years, JCPenney’s strategic partnership with 4-H has impacted millions of youth all across the nation who participate in 4-H Afterschool programming. The company’s support has provided millions of youth with a safe place to learn, grow and become smart, strong and socially responsible citizens. In honor of their generous support and ongoing dedication to youth, Myron E. (Mike) Ullman III, Chairman of the Board and CEO of JCPenney, will accept the 4-H Corporate Leadership Award.
Every day, young people in 4-H take the lead in their communities and make a difference in the world. Samantha Jo Ridley, a young member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe from North Dakota, has embodied the spirit of the 4-H movement to help her overcome obstacles and stride forward to lead an effort to make her community and her world a better place. As a result, Samantha will be the deserving recipient of the 4-H Youth in Action Award.
“By providing innovative and engaging programming in science, healthy living and citizenship, 4-H is growing the next generation of America’s leaders and strengthening our nation’s ability to tackle the world’s top challenges,” said Don Floyd president and CEO, National 4 H Council. “Today, we are thrilled to host our first annual 4-H Legacy Awards Gala to honor the amazing individuals and corporate partners that help us to deliver on such an important mission. Their commitment and contributions exemplify the 4-H philosophy of ‘making the best better’.”
In fact, 4-H’s positive impact on youth has been proven. According to longitudinal research conducted by the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University, we now know that if a child is in 4-H, he or she is:
- Nearly two times more likely to get better grades in school;
- Nearly two times more likely to plan to go to college;
- 41 percent less likely to engage in risky behaviors, and
- 25 percent more likely to positively contribute to their families and communities.
As the youth development program of Cooperative Extension and USDA, 4-H is directly connected to the research, resources and delivery system of the nation’s 109 land-grant universities and colleges and more than 3,000 local county Extension offices across the nation. 4-H programs are further supported by 514,000 dedicated adult volunteers who help to put 4-H youth on a path towards successful careers.
About 4-H:
4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA. 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 Land-Grant Universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-h.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H.
4-H Robotics Teams to Compete in FIRST National Robotics Competition
Chevy Chase, MD (April 14, 2010) -- National 4-H Council is proud to announce that nine 4-H Robotics teams will compete on a national stage at the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) National Robotics Championship in Atlanta April 14-17. Nearly 450 teams of young people from all across the country are invited to attend the event to compete on the floor of the Georgia Dome in complex robotics challenges that combine the excitement of sports with engineering and technology skills.
The FIRST National Robotics Championship is the culmination of the FIRST Robotics season, and consists of several competitive rounds in three categories: LEGO League World Festival, Robotics Competition Championship and Tech Challenge World Championship. Last year, five 4-H teams traveled to Atlanta to compete, with the 4-H G-FORCE Robotics team of Garrett County, Md., taking home second place in the Tech Challenge World Championship.
This year, G-FORCE will again be competing along with eight additional 4-H robotics teams, including:
- Exploding Bacon – Winter Park, Fla.
- Aquidneck Island Robotics 4-H Club – Newport County, R.I.
- Flaming Monkeys – Belvidere, Ill.
- Team EMS – Windermere, Fla.
- Apple Pi – Guilford, Conn.
- Prototype X – Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Camdenton 4H LASER Team – Camdenton, Mo.
- Team Paradox- Encinitas, Calif.
At the 2009 FIRST Robotics Championship, National 4-H Council and FIRST Robotics announced a partnership to further a shared pursuit of reaching American young people with more opportunities to explore science, engineering and technology (SET) careers through hands-on, team-based experiences in the design, building and programming of robots.
“In one year since our partnership with FIRST Robotics, 43 competitive robotics teams have been established throughout 4-H. There could be no greater first-year marker than to have nine of our 4-H teams make it to the national championship level,” said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., President and CEO, National 4 H Council. “The joint work of National 4-H Council and FIRST demonstrates the amazing things youth achieve when given the opportunity to step up and pursue their interest in science, engineering and technology.”
Building on the success and growing excitement for 4-H Robotics around the country, Maryland has been selected as the pilot state to help develop and test further expansion of the program. As part of this effort, Maryland has set a goal of establishing additional 4-H Robotics clubs in all of the state’s 24 counties, including the city of Baltimore. Their experience in everything from training volunteers to guiding youth projects and coordinating participation in top robotics events and competitions will help make the establishment of a new 4-H Robotics club a turn-key operation for all.
Additionally, National 4-H Council will launch the first, comprehensive Robotics curriculum in the fall of 2010 for youth in grades 4 to 12, titled Robotics: Engineering for Today and Tomorrow. Developed in partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the curriculum will focus on physical science concepts related to robotics, engineering design processes and the exploration of possible careers in the field. The curriculum will offer hands-on, team atmosphere learning and an online space for youth to experiment with robotic components and programming using virtual robotic tools.
About 4-H:
4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA. 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 Land Grant Universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-h.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H.
4-H National Youth Science Day to
Focus on Water Quality & Climate Change
 CHEVY CHASE, MD (April 8, 2010) – National 4-H Council is pleased to announce the 2010 National Science Experiment, 4-H2O, which will focus on water quality and climate change – two very important issues facing our global community. This exciting annual youth science event brings together hundreds of thousands of youth from all around the nation to complete the National Science Experiment on 4-H National Youth Science Day, which will be held on Wednesday, October 6, 2010.
Designed by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (A&T), the 2010 National Science Experiment will use a three-tiered experiment model to engage youth of all ages to learn at the simplest level how carbon dioxide can affect aquatic animals, plants and other living organisms in lakes, streams, rivers and oceans. 4‑H2O features a series of interactive activities and discussions to demonstrate the importance of water quality and its relevance to climate change. Using typical chemistry tools, worksheets, online guides and Web-based demonstrations, the experiment will help youth learn and then connect back to their own lives by encouraging the measurement of their own personal impact on the environment, along with the impact of their families.
“We hope this experiment will help young people understand their environmental relationship to their communities and to the world, and at the same time help create the next generation of new scientists to keep our country globally competitive,” said Dr. M. Ray McKinnie, administrator of A&T’s Cooperative Extension Program that developed the National Science Experiment. “At the end of the day, this experiment may inspire young people to continue their interest in science throughout their secondary education, into college and on into career opportunities.”
“Now entering its third year, 4-H National Youth Science Day will again bring young people face-to-face with a large and complex global issue affecting our society,” said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., National 4-H Council president and CEO. “Involving youth early in fun and exciting scientific exploration is paramount to encouraging their future interest in science and science careers. As the nation’s next generation of leaders, it is imperative that we encourage today’s young people to think about global issues today, in order to engage them in developing the solutions of tomorrow.”
Created to combat a shortage of American young people pursuing science college majors and careers, 4-H National Youth Science Day seeks to spark an early youth interest and leadership in science. 4-H year-round, out-of-school programming is developed by the nation’s 109 Land-grant Universities and is implemented through the 3,100 local Cooperative Extension offices across the nation. Currently, more than 5 million young people across the nation participate in 4 H science, engineering and technology programming in topics as varied as robotics, rocketry, wind power, GPS mapping, agricultural science, film making, water quality and biofuels. And, through the One Million New Scientists, One Million New Ideas campaign, 4 H has undertaken a bold goal of engaging one million additional young people in science, engineering and technology programming by 2013.
This year’s 4-H National Youth Science Day has been jointly sponsored by John Deere, IBM and Toyota.
About North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University:
N.C. A&T is a public, Land-grant University, committed to exemplary teaching and learning, scholarly and creative research, and effective engagement and public service. The historically black university is one of 16 campuses in the University of North Carolina system and is a high-research institution that offers degrees at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels with a commitment to excellence in a comprehensive range of academic disciplines. Our unique legacy and educational philosophy provide students with a broad range of experiences that foster transformation and leadership for a dynamic and global society. Visit us at www.ncat.edu to learn more.
About 4-H:
4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA. 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 Land-grant Universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-H.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H.
4-H Science Momentum Continues to Grow
with $1.7 Million From Noyce Foundation
 CHEVY CHASE, MD (March 9, 2010) —Today, theNoyce Foundation announced its continued support of 4-H’s Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) programming with a $1.73 million gift. The donation will go to continue growing the capacity of the 4-H system to deliver innovative science-based programs to youth all around the nation and to the continued robust evaluation of the impact of 4-H SET programming on youth development.
The Noyce Foundation’s generous support will strengthen the 4-H SET infrastructure in several ways, including providing online professional development training, assistance with state and local SET implementation, incentives to recognize innovative local leadership and to developing the capability to assess the SET impact.
This gift brings 4-H even closer to achieving the ambitious goal of engaging one million new youth in the fields of science, engineering and technology by the year 2013. The 4-H youth development program currently reaches more than 6 million youth with year-round, hands-on learning experiences—and 5 million of those youth are actively engaged in exciting science, engineering and technology projects. Today, 4-H out-of-school programming, in-school enrichment programs and camps offer a wide variety of science education opportunities—from agricultural and animal sciences to rocketry, robotics, renewable energy, environmental protection and computer science.
“We have invested heavily in helping the National 4-H Council further its SET initiative because we believe 4-H has the capacity to lead the way for youth development and informal science organizations across the country in developing the curriculum, professional development, multi-media web-based support, and evaluation tools and practices that will engage thousands of young people from all backgrounds in the joys of science,” said Ron Ottinger, Executive Director of the Noyce Foundation.
“The Noyce Foundation continues to be a vital partner and advocate for 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology programming,” said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., National 4-H Council President and CEO. “Noyce’s investment will allow 4-H to expand state and county-level SET leadership teams which are integral to reaching our goal of addressing the nation’s critical workforce shortages by building the next generation of youth excited about careers in science, engineering and technology.”
In fact, there is proof of 4-H’s positive impact on youth. According to longitudinal research conducted by the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University, if a child is in 4-H, he or she is:
• Nearly two times more likely to get better grades in school;
• Nearly two times more likely to plan to go to college;
• 41 percent less likely to engage in risky behaviors; and
• 25 percent more likely to positively contribute to their families and communities.
In addition, The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development found that when compared to other youth, young people involved in 4-H perform better in science, engineering and technology subjects and are more likely to pursue science careers.
As the youth development program of Cooperative Extension and USDA, 4-H is directly connected to the research and resources of the 109 land-grant universities and colleges and the more than 3,000 local county Extension offices across the nation. This connection strategically positions 4-H to help grow the next generation of science leaders and strengthen the nation’s ability to tackle the world’s top challenges such as energy independence, healthcare and the environment. 4-H programs are further supported by 514,000 dedicated adult volunteers around the nation who help to put 4-H youth on a path towards successful careers.
The out-of-school science programming provided by 4-H is vital to complement the formal education that young people receive during the school day. Out-of-school programming has been proven to deepen a youth’s connection to the science, reach the underserved and foster the skills that are attractive to employers.
About National 4-H Council:
4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within (USDA). The 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 Land Grant Universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-h.org.
About the Noyce Foundation:
The Noyce Foundation is interested in significantly increasing the number of youth in the United States who pursue professions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It believes that providing large numbers of young people with out-of-school, engaging, quality, hands-on science, engineering, and technology experiences will stimulate a larger percentage to pursue STEM careers and enhance general STEM knowledge. The Foundation’s goal is to support the informal science community in developmental initiatives that address gaps that exist in outcomes measurement, research and evaluation, program scale up, leadership development, and policy issues.
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