Junior and senior high-school students from across the state are gearing up to compete for prizes, awards and scholarships during the upcoming State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa on March 30-31. The event is the largest STEM competition for youth in grades 6-12 and will be hosted in person at Iowa State University.
Three teams of Iowa 4-H members received honors from the Western National Roundup held Jan. 4-7 in Denver, Colorado. These members, ages 14 through 19, earned the opportunity to compete nationally through state competitions and events held throughout the year.
The State 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl and State 4-H Skillathon contests will be held together on Saturday, April 1, at Iowa State University. The deadline for registration is March 27.
K-12 teachers and other educators are invited to learn about Youth Pollinator Education and Action, a program to educate youth of all ages about pollinator biology, its importance and conservation. A free training opportunity will be offered Feb. 24-25 in person at Iowa Lakeside Lab in Milford.
The 4-H Nutcracker Ballet + STEM program received the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council Seal of Approval in December 2022. This recognition indicates that a program or event officially advances one of the most progressive state STEM initiatives in the country. In 2022 over 2,000 youth registered for the in-person or livestreamed experience.
Cultural immersion is a hands-on way to learn and understand a different culture or viewpoint quickly and meaningfully. The 2023 Iowa States’ 4-H Exchange program is seeking host families for 12 Japanese youth delegates who will visit Iowa this summer.
Iowa 4-H members recently participated in national 4-H livestock competitions at the North American International Livestock Exposition held in Louisville, Kentucky. Benton County represented Iowa 4-H in the livestock judging and livestock skillathon competitions, and Franklin County represented Iowa 4-H in the livestock quiz bowl contest.
Thirty-one youth from across Iowa competed in the 4-H meat evaluation contest Nov. 12 at Iowa State University. Youth teams from O’Brien County won the senior and junior divisions.
On Dec. 9 youth can watch a free mini-performance of the Nutcracker Ballet and independently participate in related STEM challenges. The event will be held in person at Stephens Auditorium on the Iowa State University campus and also livestreamed across Iowa.
Forty Iowa State University Extension and Outreach staff members were honored in October at the Iowa 4-H YouthFest professional development conference.
