4-H jumping onto STEM bandwagon

[Perd Hapley]

http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/14/technology/facebook-andrew-bosworth-4h-stem/?iid=EL

I guess milkin' cows ain't good enough for them good-fur-nuthin' kids these days.   

[KD5NRH]

http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/14/technology/facebook-andrew-bosworth-4h-stem/?iid=EL

Combining real STEM education with most trades is a very good thing; at a previous job, we had people who were just great at making whatever you could get them a print of, but couldn't do anything beyond that.  Essentially, they were CAM controllers with feet.  No decision making capability whatsoever.  If something on the print was wrong, but physically possible, they made it without a second thought as to whether maybe they should check with engineering and get the mistake fixed before using up an expensive billet of raw material to make a part that, to anyone else, is visibly wrong.

Extreme example; one of them made a part that would have been absolutely perfect...if it had been 2.54 times larger.  Even with the part it had to connect to sitting right there, it never occurred to him that a 12cm flange wasn't going to mate with a 12" one, so he never questioned the print.

Some business focus would be handy too; we've got a lot of guys around here who can do a construction or repair job with no problem, but then can't manage even simple billing or collections tasks.

[BlueStarLizzard]

4-H clubs tend to be a lot more kid driven than many other youth groups, in my experience, plus they are all over the map in terms of what they go do.

I never did the agricultural thing. I was in Adventure Club (think backpacking, canoeing, rock climbing) and Shooting Club. My area also had a Hoof and Woof club that had sort of lost their Woof side of things, but was still strong in the Hoof. Those girls dominated the local Hunt Seat riding scene.

Of all the youth group activities I did, 4H is hands down where I'd put any kids I had, especially considering how the clubs operate and that the kids can work independently of a local group (which means if your interest isn't represented in a local group, you can still get involved and compete/meet/function in a larger region)

[Perd Hapley]

In case anyone gets confused (which never happens on the internet), my sarcasm above is meant only in jest. I am not actually criticizing 4-H.

[BlueStarLizzard]

In case anyone gets confused (which never happens on the internet), my sarcasm above is meant only in jest. I am not actually criticizing 4-H.

I didn't say you were. I was more saying that I am not surprised that they are including more STEM stuff.

[seeker_two]

Anyone who has ever worked a farm or ranch has been doing STEM long before STEM was a thing.....

[Perd Hapley]

I didn't say you were. I was more saying that I am not surprised that they are including more STEM stuff.

And I didn't say that you said that I was. 

[Northwoods]

My (almost) 10 year old has been doing archery with 4-H.  I wish my wife was OK with them doing the animal thing with 4-H too.  STEM, eh, we cover that with homeschool.  But if it helps the other kids in 4-H then it's cool.  But this whole STEM bandwagon thing is getting out of hand too.  Lots of people/groups are thinking that if they just push moarz STEM then all the problems in the country will be solved.  It might temporarily alleviate a few issues, but the real problem is that we're not adequately educating the kids in this country on the basics that lead to the ability to use logic and real critical thinking.

[roo_ster]

Yay more flipping homework for kiddos.

[charby]

Anyone who has ever worked a farm or ranch has been doing STEM long before STEM was a thing.....

Especially if they are trying to maximize yield, anyone can tear up dirt and plant things.

[MillCreek]

My (almost) 10 year old has been doing archery with 4-H.  I wish my wife was OK with them doing the animal thing with 4-H too.  STEM, eh, we cover that with homeschool.  But if it helps the other kids in 4-H then it's cool.  But this whole STEM bandwagon thing is getting out of hand too.  Lots of people/groups are thinking that if they just push moarz STEM then all the problems in the country will be solved.  It might temporarily alleviate a few issues, but the real problem is that we're not adequately educating the kids in this country on the basics that lead to the ability to use logic and real critical thinking.

And my pet peeve, when society talks about STEM jobs, it is pretty much some types of computer and engineering jobs.  There are lots and lots of people trained in other STEM fields, most notably physical and life science, who are not working in the field due to lack of jobs.