4-H Delivers

Robots in the Environment

The Issue: In Sonoma County, the 2010 Two Rock 4-H Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) project theme was “Robots in the Environment,” a critical look at how robots sense their environment and how they interact with their surroundings. The goal of the project was to learn about robotics and sensing, develop the skills needed to build complicated machines, and empower youth to work collaboratively to solve problems.

What has 4-H Done?: The SET project had four “build” meetings. Each meeting built upon the skills developed in the previous meeting, but each meeting was an individual project. Projects included building a working “vibrobot,” motor powered robot, and assembling underwater remotely operated vehicles. These projects allowed the youth to see a wide range of exciting technology challenges. All project activities were documented on handouts and on the project website, robobuilders.wordpress.com.  Public events and outreach were a fundamental part of the foundation of the project. The project members enjoyed going to public events and talking about what 4-H is doing to expand the science and technology education of youth. Some of the events that the members participated in were the Sonoma County  4-H Chicken-que, 4-H State Field Day, the Sonoma County 4-H Foundation Dinner Gala, National Youth Science Day, and a science fair event at Sonoma Mountain Middle School.

The Payoff: 4-H SET has a lasting impact on the youth that participated in the project. SET fulfills a gap in the well rounded development of today’s students since many school are reducing or even eliminating many forms of science education. Many youth that participated in SET projects are using their creations in their school work such as school science days, science fairs, and after school programs. The newly developed science skills have youth considering careers in science and technology fields.