With a shared passion for STEM, 4‑H and HughesNet aim to inspire the next generation of scientists by introducing more youth to hands-on, community-based science projects, and 4‑H NYSD does just that! HughesNet is thrilled to play a role in connecting young people from around the world in an exciting, interactive STEM challenge that utilizes engineering principles we integrate into our work every day.
Access to quality science, technology, engineering and math education shouldn’t be determined by where you live. Kids all across the U.S. should have access to hands-on STEM learning. Not only is it important for the development of our youth, but it’s also critical for our country’s future. To help 4‑H reach even more youth, HughesNet sponsored a Raise Your Hand for STEM campaign, giving the ten states with the most votes 100 4‑H NYSD kits. This will allow an additional 10,000 kids across the country to participate in the challenge!
This year’s challenge, Incredible Wearables, designed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, offers youth the opportunity to learn how circuits, sensors and health data can be blended with fashion to create a wearable tech product. During the interactive project, these future engineers will work together to design their very own fitness wearable and test their device in real-time by wearing them during brief exercise activities.
“2017 will mark the fourth year of 4‑H NYSD sponsorship for HughesNet — a milestone in our ongoing partnership with 4‑H to promote STEM education nationwide,” said Peter Gulla, senior vice president, marketing, Hughes Network Systems. “Since 2013, HughesNet and 4‑H have helped provide hands-on STEM activities to thousands of youth across the country each year. We are proud to witness the exponential growth of 4‑H NYSD into the world’s largest youth-led science challenge.”
On August 8, Ava Lonneman, our 2017 4‑H Youth in Action STEM pillar winner, hosted a 4‑H National Youth Science Day preview event at Hughes headquarters for local students from Montgomery and Frederick County, Maryland. Ava shared her 4‑H story and helped the young engineering teams design their very own wearable fitness monitor, complete with a programmable Wi-Fi enabled microcontroller and sensors for monitoring data on a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Some participants were so excited about optimizing their health monitor that they opted for a wearable glove to better track movement data! You can watch the highlight video here.
Don’t miss the chance to be part of the 2017 4‑H NYSD event! Click here to order a kit for your club today. For more information on HughesNet’s STEM partnership with 4‑H, please visit www.hughesnet.com/4H.
