Info
Leaders
- Mary Biever
- Josh Weiland
- Dana Nelson
- Philip Salomon
Club Requirements
- Attend 6 meetings yearly
- Pay $10 dues
- Give 1 technology demonstration
- Turn in Achievement Record
- Complete 1 4-H project in a Technology field
Club Project Areas:
- Aerospace
- Computer
- Consumer Education (technology purchases)
- Electricity
- Photography (digital)
- Robotics
- Small Engines
How the Tech Club Began:
Several area 4-H members in our area have been involved in robotics in recent years.
There is a national 4-H curriculum for robotics.
Initially, the idea of local 4-H leaders was to introduce a robotics project into Vanderburgh County.
As leaders researched the possibility of starting robotics, the idea of a new county-level 4-H club was born.
First, leaders were recruited.
Mary Biever agreed to lead the new club, and Josh Weiland agreed to become a 4-H leader to help the club begin.
In recent years, the National 4-H Council has recognized the growing need for more science education in the United States. They began the 4-H Science, Engineering, and Technology programs to improve the scientific literacy and aptitude of America's youth. Their goal is to prepare 1 million new young people to excel in science and engineering by the year 2013, in addition to the 5 million youth already served by 4-H program.
This national focus on increased science education impacted the development of the Tech Club. Imagine if there had been a Light Bulb club after Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. It would no longer be in existence. A computer or a robotics club today would be wonderful, but it would not address the real need for providing science education in a variety of disciplines. We are in a technological revolution, and 4-H youth grow up, they will utilize technology that has not yet been invented. They need a wide range of scientific experiences to prepare them to succeed in a new century. Thus began the idea of a Technology Club.
An exploratory meeting was held in the spring, 2007, at the Browning Events Room at Central Library. Over 25 youth attended that first meeting. The club officially began meeting in the fall of 2007, and members approved bylaws for the club. The charter club members voted that the club should be called Tech Club instead of Technology Club. Twenty members enrolled and fulfilled membership requirements in the club's first year.
In its first year, members were given opportunities to attend workshops in computer science, robotics, aerospace, and electrical science. Field trips to computer networks were organized, an engineering judging challenge was held, and the county's first ever robotics contest was held. Superintendents for aerospace, electrical, computer, and robotics projects all participated in the club's programming. The coordinator of EVSC's Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs and middle school robotics contest gave a robotics workshop.
Members and leaders were involved in the 4-H community at large in the following ways: state computer, aerospace, and electrical workshops; Roundup; the state 4-H choir; Share the Fun at the county, regional, and state levels; the winter carnival; Youth Council; Junior Leaders; Outdoor expo; 4-H Summer Camp; the Indiana 4-H Congress; the Hoosier Recreation Workshop; Junior Miss contest; County Fair Talent contest; Club Cook-off; 4-H Labo/Japan Exchange; county speech and demonstration contests; state speech contest; county garden contest; Vanderburgh County 4-H Council; Achievement Banquet Committee; and State Junior Leader Conference.
Eleven months after Tech Club members voted to adopt their bylaws, the club earned Gold level honor status. What a ride our first year has been!
The 4-H Tech Club is a 4-H club which works to inspire youth in grades 3 through 12 to study and learn more about aerospace, computers, electricity, engineering, robotics, and small engines. The club meets monthly, providing workshops in these areas, along with other learning experiences. Members are required to enroll in 4-H, attend 6 meetings per year, enroll in 1 technology-related project area per year, give 1 technology-related demonstration to club members per year, and pay $10 dues per year. 4-H uses an experiential learning model in that youth learn by doing and then reflecting upon their experiences.
Currently, national 4-H programs provide 5 million American youth with hands-on learning experiences in science, engineering, and technology. The club is a local response to efforts by the National 4-H Council to prepare 1 million additional American youth to excel in science, engineering, and technology by 2013.