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Chevy Chase, Maryland – July 6, 2016 – Today, National 4-H Council announced it has been awarded a grant from Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) for $100,000 as part of Target’s ongoing youth wellness efforts.

The grant will engage more than 750 youth and their family members in the greater Chicago area in the 4-H Food Smart Families program. The program aims to empower families through food knowledge and education to build sustainable solutions that confront food insecurity and improve health. Driven by 4-H teen leaders, youth participants will learn to help their peers and families learn about food – how to budget for it, use it, cook it and make choices that contribute toward their health and well-being.

“With more American families struggling with hunger and nearly 16 million children living in households that are food insecure, it’s more important than ever to provide families with tools to help them improve their overall nutrition and health,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. “The 4-H Food Smart Families program empowers teen leaders to deliver nutrition and food-skills education in their local communities that provide measurable, long-term impact.”

“At Target, we are committed to helping make wellness a way of life for our team members, guests and communities,” said Laysha Ward, chief corporate social responsibility officer, Target. “That’s why we are excited to partner with an impressive array of organizations who are already doing such important work to make an impact in the wellness space. Together, we will help remove barriers to wellness in our communities, working to increase the consumption of nutrient-dense food and physical activity of kids and families across the country.”

The grant is part of Target’s ongoing efforts to help make wellness more affordable, accessible and inspirational for its team members, guests and communities. Target also is partnering closely with local leaders and organizations in communities around the country who are experts in youth wellness and actively working to close the wellness gap for children. These efforts are part of Target’s long history of giving 5 percent of its profit to communities, which today equals more than $4 million every week.

Launched in 2014, the 4-H Food Smart Families program is now active in 13 states and has engaged more than 400 youth trained to be Teens as Teachers, serving as role models and mentors to influence positive changes in youth behavior. The program has a goal of reaching 250,000 kids and 650,000 family members in high poverty states by 2020.

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 at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA. The 4-H programs are implemented by the 111 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 Target

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at 1,792 stores and at Target.com. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its profit to communities, which today equals more than $4 million a week. For more information, visit Target.com/Pressroom. For a behind-the-scenes look at Target, visit Target.com/abullseyeview or follow @TargetNews on Twitter.

Contacts

National 4-H Council
Dvon Holland, Director, Integrated Marketing, 301-385-0430

Target Corporation
Jessica Stevens, Communications, (612) 761-6351
Target Media Hotline, (612) 696-3400

Youth to Explore Drones in World's Largest Youth-Led Engineering Design Challenge

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 18, 2016) — Drones are revolutionizing the way we work and play, whether you are a filmmaker looking for the perfect aerial shot, a rescue worker mapping damage from natural disaster or a farmer determining how to increase crop yield. As drones play an increasingly important role in the world around us, 4‑H National Youth Science Day (4‑H NYSD) 2016 introduces youth to the burgeoning field of drones in a hands-on, interactive design challenge.

4‑H NYSD is the world’s largest youth-led engineering design challenge, drawing nearly 100,000 participants in 2015. This year’s challenge, called Drone Discovery, will teach youth a wide variety of topics related to unmanned flight including flight dynamics, aircraft types, safety and regulations, remote sensing and flight control. Designed by Cornell University Cooperative Extension, the hands-on, three part engineering design challenge will allow youth to experiment with fixed and rotary wing designs, explore the concept of remote sensing and dive into the world of coding for real-world drone applications.

Youth will conduct the experiment at hundreds of local events taking place in all 50 states, and in countries around the world. National 4‑H Council will host the flagship national event, with hundreds of youth participating in the challenge on October 5 in Washington, D.C. The national sponsors of 2016 4‑H NYSD are HughesNet®, Lockheed Martin and U.S. Cellular.

“What’s so exciting about 4‑H NYSD is that it’s a hands-on, interactive learning experience that uses cutting-edge topics from the real world to get youth excited about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM),” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4‑H Council. “For many kids, this experiential approach to learning ignites an interest in STEM topics that can quickly grow into a passion. Facilitating this progression—from interest to sustained passion—is what 4‑H STEM is all about.”

All youth are invited to participate in 4‑H NYSD. Additional information can be found at www.4-h.com/nysd, which will be updated regularly as the event approaches. Engineering design challenge kits are available for pre-sale at THE 4‑H MALL. Each kit comes equipped with all the materials necessary for 10 youth to complete the experiment, including instruction booklets for both youth and adult facilitators.

Every year, youth complete more than 5 million 4‑H STEM projects in robotics, agricultural science, rocketry, wind power, environmental science and alternative energy. A recent longitudinal study conducted by Tufts University, The Positive Development of Youth: Comprehensive Findings from the 4‑H Study of Positive Youth Development, revealed 4‑H programming does indeed get young people more connected to science. According to the study, 4‑Hers are two times more likely to participate in science, engineering and computer technology programs during out-of-school time (Grades 10-12) and 4‑H girls are two times more likely (Grade 10) and nearly three times more likely (Grade 12) to take part in science programs compared to girls in other out-of-school time activities.

About 4-H

4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4‑H at www.4‑H.org, find us on FACEBOOK and on TWITTER.

CONTACT US

CHEVY CHASE, MD (April 12, 2016) – As the presidential election hoists leadership to the forefront of national dialogue, a new survey asks America’s youth to weigh in on the topic – finding that today’s leaders are believed to have their own agendas and demonstrate weak leadership. Additionally, young people would like better preparation as leaders.

Ninety percent (90%) of young people say they are concerned about the future leadership of America, and two-thirds are more confident in the next generation of leaders than in the leaders they see today. This is according to the 4‑H National Youth Survey on Leadership conducted online by Harris Poll among 1,501 9th through 12th grade students.

National 4‑H Council released the survey findings today at a youth-led rally in Washington, D.C. to kick off the 4‑H Grow True Leaders Campaign – giving young people across the country a forum to put their voices into positive action and rally the nation to invest in the next generation of true leaders.

More than 1,500 youth nationwide responded to the survey, which revealed:

  • Most youth (81%) think leaders today are more concerned with their own agendas than with achieving the goals of their organizations.
  • Seventy-six percent (76%) say leaders are focused on different priorities than what matters most to them.
  • Half of youth rate government and political leaders as having weak leadership (51%), among the highest relative to other groups of leaders examined in the survey. Overall, weak leadership is related to not accomplishing what is promised (59%); not working collaboratively (56%); and not offering new solutions (53%).
  • Most youth (96%) think leadership is important to addressing the country’s most pressing issues; but only one in three young people says they have the skills they need to be prepared to lead.

“America is facing a critical need for more leaders – true leaders – who are prepared with the skills to deal with the problems of today and the challenges of tomorrow,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4‑H Council. “A true leader leads by example, works well with others, tackles tough challenges head-on and sticks with a job until it’s done. This campaign is giving youth a platform to ask for more support in preparing them to lead and to be recognized for their positive contributions.”

More than 300 youth gathered at the 4‑H Grow True Leaders Rally where they identified specific areas they want more support from adults: hands-on experience in leadership roles, programs to build confidence and regular encouragement to lead. They asked adults to offer positive encouragement of young people by participating in the True Leaders Shout Out online – sharing positive messages and photos or videos using #TrueLeaders to shout out a young true leader who exemplifies a positive example of courage, responsibility and resilience.

Youth also shared action platforms for the issues identified in the survey as most important to America’s youth: (1) Access to College; (2) Jobs & The Economy; (3) Bullying; and (4) The Environment. They were joined by Grammy award-winning music artist and 4‑H National Spokeswoman Jennifer Nettles and 2016 Miss America Betty Cantrell; both are 4‑H alumna. Other notable 4‑H alumni are participating in activities and voicing their support of the campaign this week, including CNN host Nancy Grace, Facebook executive Andrew Bosworth, U.S. Congresswoman Terri Sewell, and Weekend TODAY host Craig Melvin.

4‑H Grow True Leaders: Revitalizing a National Brand

The 4‑H Grow True Leaders Campaign is the first of its kind for National 4‑H Council – a national, multi-platform initiative that will support the organization’s growth goals of empowering 10 million youth by 2025 (a 67 percent increase).

National 4‑H Council partnered with Dailey Advertising to develop creative print, digital and broadcast advertisements as part of the Campaign – featuring powerful images of real 4‑H’ers in activities that grow life skills. The marketing charge is to break out of the limited view that many still have of 4‑H – to show that the organization is still connected to its roots in agriculture, but has also evolved to feature robust youth development programming in areas like STEM, healthy living and citizenship.

“With impact numbers that are second to none, 4‑H has been the best kept secret for far too long,” Sirangelo continued. “We want more people to know that 4‑H was founded with youth empowerment at our core, and we are still a youth empowerment organization – with 4‑H’ers leading all kinds of positive solutions for the diverse issues our country faces today.”

To learn more about the 4‑H Grow True Leaders Campaign and download campaign resources, please visit our media center.

About 4‑H

4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4‑H at www.4‑H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4‑H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

Contact Us

Top Business & Education Leaders Elected to National 4‑H Council Board of Trustees

Chevy Chase, MD— (December 10, 2015) National 4‑H Council announced today the election of a new chairman and three new elections to its Board of Trustees.

“We are honored to welcome these leaders to help guide and further National 4‑H Council’s goals of increasing investment and participation in high-quality 4‑H programs,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president & CEO, National 4‑H Council. “This is an exciting time as the Board embarks on an ambitious plan to help reach millions more youth with the power of a 4‑H experience,” said Sirangelo.

The new Trustees join a diverse board made up of corporate executives, leaders from the nation’s land-grant universities, Cooperative Extension System and the United States Department of Agriculture as well as 4‑H alumni and youth leaders.

Landel Hobbs, founder and CEO, LCH Enterprises, LLC, Atlanta, GA, assumed his new leadership role as chairman of the Board during last month’s Board meeting. Hobbs’ areas of expertise span the financial, telecommunications, media and entertainment industries. Prior to LCH Enterprises, Mr. Hobbs was the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Time Warner Cable as well as the Chief Accounting Officer for Turner Broadcasting Company.

He has served on Council’s Board for more than five years and prior to his new leadership post chaired the Finance Committee. He is preceded by Alison Lewis, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, New Brunswick, NJ, who remains on the Board and the Executive Committee.

New Trustees

David Cruz, New York Life Senior Managing Director and Head of Institutional Annuities
Parsippany, NJ
David Cruz leads New York Life Institutional Annuities, which includes the Guaranteed Products, Structured Settlements, and Stable Value Investments businesses. He is responsible for product management, distribution and service of these businesses which total approximately $47 billion in combined assets as of March 31, 2015. Mr. Cruz earned his B.S. from Villanova University and MBA from William Paterson University. Mr. Cruz and New York Life support 4‑H programs that engage Hispanic youth in urban markets.

Tom Lehr, Dailey
President & CEO
West Hollywood, CA
Tom Lehr leads Dailey, one of the most established and respected full-service advertising agencies based in Los Angeles. Known for its unique blend of blue-chip consumer packaged goods, restaurant, and fast-paced retail accounts, the agency also believes in giving back to the community through its pro-bono work with several organizations, including National 4‑H Council. Dailey and Council are developing a national brand campaign, 4‑H Grows True Leaders, to increase 4‑H awareness nationwide. Mr. Lehr received his bachelor’s degree from UCLA and is a graduate of the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, CA.

Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware
Associate Dean & Director, Cooperative Extension and Outreach
Newark, DE
As Associate Dean and Director, Dr. Michelle Rodgers provides overall leadership for programs, personnel and the organizational development of the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The 4‑H alumna chairs the national Extension Committee of Organization and Policy (ECOP) and served as co-chair of the ECOP Health task force. Prior to the University of Delaware, Dr. Rodgers spent five years as Associate Director at Michigan State University Extension. Dr. Rodgers holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Penn State University.

About 4‑H

4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4‑H at www.4‑H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4‑H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

Contact Us

CHEVY CHASE, MD (October 7, 2015) — Hundreds of thousands of youth across the United States, and some globally, are conducting the world’s largest, youth-led science experiment as part of 4‑H National Youth Science Day (4‑H NYSD) which launched today in communities across the nation. The “Motion Commotion” experiment was designed by Oregon State University Cooperative Extension in partnership with Vernier Software & Technology and challenges youth to explore the physical and human factors of motion in distracted driving.

In its eighth year, 4‑H NYSD events take place across the nation – in all 50 states and Puerto Rico throughout the year. National 4‑H Council hosted the flagship national event at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. on October 7, where NFL player-turned-NASA astronaut, Leland Melvin, and more than 300 youth led the experiment. The national sponsors of 20154‑H NYSD are Lockheed Martin, HughesNet and U.S. Cellular.

Youth conducted the two-part “Motion Commotion” experiment using every day materials – including a toy car, modeling clay, ruler, calculator and cell phone – to explore physics in the real-world. In the first phase, youth constructed a simulated runway to analyze the speed, momentum and kinetic energy of a car in motion, and explored the science behind the car’s collisions. In the second phase, they led an experiment that uses the same physics principles to demonstrate the consequences of distracted driving.

“Combating the shortage of American young people pursuing science college majors and careers, starts with recognizing the STEM skills gap is really about a STEM attraction gap,” says Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of National 4‑H Council. “Sparking interest in STEM education at an early age puts young people on the right path to build the pipeline of the next generation of STEM leaders. As the nation’s largest positive youth development organization we see every day how the combination of hands-on science experiences and professional mentors can make a world of difference in growing a child’s love for science.”

Experts believe nearly all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the next decade will require at least some science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) training, including an estimated 2.8 million STEM jobs that will be created by 2018; however, studies show only 16 percent of American youth are interested in a STEM career. The national rallying event for 4‑H Science, 4‑H NYSD is an interactive learning experience that gets youth excited about STEM, and spotlights the many ways millions of youth are engaging in 4‑H Science programs year-round.

“Working with students and seeing them excited about learning science, technology and math is as awe-inspiring as galactic space travel,” says Leland Melvin, who served on two Space Shuttle missions (STS-122 Atlantis and STS-129). “Being a part of 4‑H National Youth Science Day gives me the opportunity to share my story and inspire the next generation of explorers.”

A recent longitudinal study conducted by Tufts University, The Positive Development of Youth: Comprehensive Findings from the 4‑H Study of Positive Youth Development, 4‑H programming does indeed get young people more connected to science. According to the study, 4‑Hers are two times more likely to participate in science programs during out-of-school time (grades 10-12) and 4‑H girls are two times more likely (grade 10) and nearly three times more likely (grade 12) to take part in science programs compared to girls in other out-of-school time activities.

For every year since 2008, youth have completed more than 5 million 4‑H Science and 4‑H NYSD projects in robotics, agricultural science, rocketry, wind power, environmental science and alternative energy. To learn more about all of the 4‑H Science programs available to young people, visit www.4‑H.org.

About 4‑H

4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4‑H at www.4‑H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4‑H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

Contact Us

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 14, 2015) –An NFL player-turned-NASA astronaut and an Emmy Award-winning tech TV host will join hundreds of thousands of young people across the nation for the world’s largest, youth-led science experiment. The former astronaut, Leland Melvin, and the TV and digital lifestyle expert, Mario Armstrong will kick off the eighth annual 4‑H National Youth Science Day (4‑H NYSD)on Wednesday, October 7, 2015.

As hundreds of thousands of youth are leading the 2015 National Science Experiment at community and school events across the world, Melvin and Armstrong will join the flagship national event at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. National activities will begin with a thought leadership breakfast where Melvin and Armstrong will join leading STEM influencers for a robust panel discussion about “Demystifying Science: Translating STEM From Abstract to Appealing for U.S. Youth.” The topic aims to go beyond simply discussing why STEM education is important and delve into how hands-on learning experiences and more public-private collaboration can enhance and complement textbook STEM learning in the classroom.

Today, more youth than ever are graduating high school and enrolling in post-secondary education. While this is a great achievement, only 16 percent of American high school seniors are interested in a STEM career, and the problem is worse for girls and minority youth, who are significantly under-represented in STEM degrees and careers.

“As the nation’s largest positive youth development organization we see each day how hands-on experiences and professional mentors can spark the interests of youth in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math,” says Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of National 4‑H Council. “To have role models like Leland and Mario join us to not only talk about opportunities to engage youth but also participate in 4‑H National Youth Science Day, shows their commitment to the future of our youth.”

The national rallying event for 4‑H Science, 4‑H NYSD is an interactive learning experience that gets youth excited about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and spotlights the many ways millions of youth are engaging in 4‑H Science programs year-round. This year’s experiment, “Motion Commotion,” designed by Oregon State University Cooperative Extension in partnership with Vernier Software & Technology, will combine a speeding car collision and a distracted driving demonstration in a simulated activity that investigates the physical and human factors of motion.

Youth will conduct the two-part “Motion Commotion” experiment using every day materials – including a toy car, modeling clay, ruler, calculator and cell phone – to explore physics in the real-world. In the first phase, youth will construct a simulated runway to analyze the speed, momentum and kinetic energy of a car in motion, and will explore the science behind the car’s collisions. In the second phase, they will lead an experiment that uses the same physics principles to demonstrate the consequences of distracted driving.

“Working with students and seeing them excited about learning science, technology and math is as awe-inspiring as galactic space travel,” says Leland Melvin, who served on two Space Shuttle missions (STS-122 Atlantis and STS-129). “Being a part of 4‑H National Youth Science Day gives me the opportunity to share my story and inspire the next generation of explorers.”

“There are so many ways to engage our youth in STEM fields today,” says Mario Armstrong, who previously served as chief technology advocate for the city of Baltimore and IT director for the state of Maryland Tourism Department. “It’s about helping them connect STEM to their passions. Understanding the relevance is a huge factor in gaining a wider base of interested youth into STEM fields, which is why 4‑H NYSD is such a great event to spark the discovery of science with fun experiments like the physics behind distracted driving.”

Every year, youth complete more than 5 million 4‑H science projects in robotics, agricultural science, rocketry, wind power, environmental science and alternative energy. To learn more about 4‑H NYSD, visit www.fourhdevsite-wpengine-com.fourhdevsite.wpengine.com/nysd. Science kits for the 2015 National Science Experiment are currently available for sale from the 4‑H Mall.

The national sponsors of 2015 4‑H NYSD are HughesNet®, Lockheed Martin and U.S. Cellular.

About 4‑H

4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4‑H at www.4‑H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4‑H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

CONTACT 4‑H

Email: 4hmarketing@fourhcouncil.edu

Chevy Chase, MD (August 26, 2015) – National 4‑H Council and Lockheed Martin announced today the launch of a new national program, STEM Futures, to inspire more American youth to discover and explore career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The three year, $3 million commitment will build a STEM pipeline of future scientists, engineers and community science professionals who will become the next generation of leaders at work and in their communities.

Nearly all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the next decade will require STEM skills, including an estimated 2.8 million STEM jobs that will be created in just four years. But, only 16 percent of American high school seniors are interested in a STEM career, and the problem is worse for girls and minority youth, who are significantly under-represented in STEM degrees and careers.

With the support of Lockheed Martin, 4‑H will have additional capacity to address the need head-on through its proven programs, community of dedicated adult mentors, and intentional career readiness model.

The STEM Futures program includes targeted outreach to engage girls and minority youth in exploring STEM careers using a new, research-based career readiness framework, the 4‑H Career Pathway.

The 4‑H Career Pathway is designed to translate abstract, textbook STEM concepts into more appealing, practical experiences that help young people explore and prepare for STEM in the real world. The four components of the Pathway—Explore, Learn, Practice, Experience—provide intentional and progressive STEM education and leadership skills for youth of all ages.

In the Explore stage, youth participate in introductory, short-term STEM experiences to spark curiosity and interest;
In the Learn stage, youth delve into projects that teach more advanced STEM concepts and problem solving skills;
During Practice, youth engage in more long-term projects with professional coaches to guide them in building STEM and leadership skills for college and their careers; and
During the Experience stage, youth immerse themselves in a field of work, including on-site training, shadowing and internship opportunities with STEM businesses.
“Partnerships committed to closing the STEM gap are critical to connecting in-school learning to out-of-school STEM experiences that open the door to career exploration,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4‑H Council. “Working with Lockheed Martin on the STEM Futures program that features our new 4‑H Career Pathway model will help engage more young people and create exciting opportunities for girls and minorities to pursue STEM majors and careers.”

As part of the STEM Futures program, Lockheed Martin employees, scientists and engineers from across the country will volunteer their time to mentor 4‑H’ers.

“Lockheed Martin has partnered with 4‑H for many years on STEM programs that educate and inspire tomorrow’s scientists, engineers and mathematicians,” said Emily Simone, Lockheed Martin’s director of Community Relations. “This new STEM Futures partnership will provide even more opportunities to introduce students to exciting STEM careers and make positive impacts on the world.”

In 2010, Lockheed Martin partnered with National 4‑H Council to develop a robust 4‑H Robotics program that transformed 4‑H Science and helped catapult a 4‑H National Youth Science Day initiative. The program has produced 450 robotics clubs and counting — connecting 1.8 million youth across the nation to STEM.

About 4‑H

4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4‑H at www.4‑H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4‑H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

Contact Us

Chevy Chase, MD (July 28, 2015) – National 4‑H Council and HughesNet, the nation’s #1 satellite Internet service provider from Hughes Network Systems (Hughes), announced Colleen Murray from Delaware and Sean Flynn from New York as the 4‑H Innovators of the Year. This recognition distinguishes teens who display a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), showcase the influence that 4‑H has had on their lives and demonstrate leadership and impact in their communities. On top of the $500 award the teens received for winning their state’s competition, they will also receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. this October to participate in the flagship 4‑H National Youth Science Day, the world’s largest youth-led science experiment.

“4‑H youth are continually using science and technology to enrich their lives, and both Colleen and Sean have gone above-and-beyond in pursuing their passion for STEM and using that passion to better their communities,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president & CEO of National 4‑H Council. “Their resilience to finding innovative solutions to real-world problems will guide them as they continue on their path towards careers in STEM.”

Colleen Murray, an 18-year-old veteran of 4‑H, fell in love with STEM during a University of Delaware (UD) engineering camp in the eighth grade. Since then, she has gone on to complete projects in leadership, engineering, technology, biotechnology and forensic sciences. She currently serves as teen mentor for the X2 Factor Robotics Team while also completing her second year as a summer intern for UD’s Center for Composite Materials. In the fall, Murray is set to begin her degree in mechanical engineering from UD.

Sean Flynn is a 15-year old 4‑H’er with well-rounded experience including projects in livestock, photography, cooking, fishing, etiquette, public speaking and gardening. He is a member of his county’s STEM Teen Leaders group, and has participated in a NASA Space training workshop, won a state fair award in Lego Robotics, is currently training to compete in the National Cyber Patriot Competition and is a member of the Civil Air Patrol. Flynn has found creative outlets to express his passion for STEM including movie production, audio engineering, set construction and volunteering as a community instructor for amateur radio.

“Colleen and Sean are great examples of how engaging youth in STEM activities can enrich their lives and prepare them for sought after careers in science, technology engineering and mathematics,” said Mike Cook, senior vice president, North America Division at Hughes. “By helping to connect 4‑H’ers to real-world applications of STEM, Hughes is committed to preparing the next generation of innovators.”

The teens will join hundreds of other youth in Washington D.C. October 7, 2015, for 4‑H National Youth Science Day. The theme this year is Motion Commotion, where participants will combine a speeding car collision and a distracted driving demonstration in a simulated activity that investigates the physical and human factors of motion. For more information on the event, please visit 4‑H National Youth Science Day.

About 4‑H

4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4‑H at www.4‑H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4‑H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

Contact Us