WATERLOO, Iowa — Kids and teens in Black Hawk County will join more than 150,000 children across the country in leading the 12th annual 4-H National Youth Science Day (4-H NYSD) challenge throughout the month of October. This year’s challenge, Game Changers, teaches young people coding skills through three engaging hands-on activities.
Black Hawk County Extension and Outreach will hold over 30 4-H NYSD events featuring the Game Changers challenge through kit use at partnering organizations. The Donaldson Foundation has donated 35 kits to Black Hawk County 4-H to encourage continuous innovation and computer science education for area youth.
Developed by Google and West Virginia University Extension Service, this hands-on experience includes a computer-based activity on Google’s CS First platform, as well as two unplugged activities that bring coding to life through games, physical activities and puzzles. Game Changers is perfect for first-time and beginner coders, ages 8 to 14.
Black Hawk County 4-H Staff share, “the skills youth will gain and flex through participation in Game Changers are so unique to what the 4-H program offers and incredibly valuable when looking through the lens of career readiness and computer science (CS) education. We are excited to be able to offer this program to so many youth this year through the generosity of the Donaldson Foundation.”
4-H NYSD is an annual program that provides access and opportunity for kids everywhere to take an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) by participating in a hands-on STEM challenge. In addition to the events throughout Black Hawk County, kids will conduct the challenge at thousands of local events in all 50 states, and in countries around the world, throughout October.
4-H NYSD 2019 was developed in collaboration with Google, with support from our national partners —Donaldson Filtration Solutions, HughesNet, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force.
More information about partnering organizations and event date and locations is on the way, please contact Emily Damro, Youth Nutrition and 4-H Outreach Coordinator, for more information or to request a kit for you local youth organization.
ABOUT EXTENSION:
Iowa State University Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, 3280 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.
— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County
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