CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 09/12/22

4-H’ers gain hands-on agricultural engineering experience at Mission Make-It event

By Josie Smith
Lexi Collier (right), a seventh-grade 4-H’er from Walton County, learns to fly a drone while fellow 4-H'er Drake Banner waits his turn during Georgia 4-H’s Mission Make-It event at Rock Eagle 4-H Center.
Lexi Collier (right), a seventh-grade 4-H’er from Walton County, learns to fly a drone while fellow 4-H'er Drake Banner waits his turn during Georgia 4-H’s Mission Make-It event at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. 

The Georgia 4-H STEM initiative hosted 152 middle school 4-H’ers for Mission Make-It, an immersive learning experience at Rock Eagle 4-H Center focused on agricultural engineering.

The annual event, which took place on Aug. 20, offered hands-on engineering experience with the theme “Rooted in Agriculture.”

The event teaches students about the engineering design process and allows them to build functional examples of the concepts they learn.

High school 4-H’ers, known as Teen Leaders, guided their younger peers through interactive workshops centered on wheelbarrows and windmills, two inventions that have impacted agricultural operations around the world for centuries.

Small groups worked together to build the engineering projects, fostering teamwork, planning and communication skills. Teen Leaders were chosen to lead through an application process, and each created activities for an exhibit fair and art show during the event.

“Engineers plan, create and improve new products and processes daily. During the Mission Make-It event, middle school 4-H youth replicate these same steps during the engineering challenges,” said Kasey Bozeman, 4-H Extension specialist for STEM programs. “Older 4-H’ers gain leadership experience through preparation and teaching, and they always learn something new themselves.”

The full-day experience kicked off with a drone demonstration led by Teen Leaders, connecting classic engineering models with innovative technology being used by Georgia’s farmers. Students learned the operation basics and then tested out their knowledge by flying drones on the Sutton Hall Lawn at Rock Eagle.

Mission Make-It was created to introduce youth to careers in engineering and expose them to the ways that engineering impacts their lives. Jay Moon, county executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency in Putnam County, spoke to attendees about farm loans and career possibilities. Moon also brought a calf from his local dairy farm as a special guest for his presentation.

Agriculture and STEM programs are one of three Georgia 4-H focus areas that use hands-on activities to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills in young students. Other 4-H focus areas include civic engagement and healthy living.

Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become true leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships and community awareness. As the largest youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than 225,000 people annually through UGA Cooperative Extension offices and 4-H facilities.

For more information about Georgia 4-H, contact your local UGA Extension office or visit georgia4h.org.

Josie Smith is the public relations coordinator for Georgia 4-H.

Authors:
Josie Smith
Experts/Sources:
Kasey Bozeman
Georgia Simmons at the office of U.S. Sen. Warnock CAES News
Georgia 4-H alum, CAES student spends semester serving at the nation's Capitol 12/03/24 Josie Smith, Cooper Hardy
Third-year University of Georgia student and Banks County 4-H alum Georgia Simmons has been in the center of the political action this fall with the Georgia 4-H Washington DC Intern Program. Simmons, an environmental resource science major in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, works in the office of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. As an intern on his staff, she interacts directly with policy experts and lawmakers, participating in the legislative process while earning a semester of credit hours.
Seth McAllister and farmer Mark Daniel discuss crop production and agritourism. CAES News
UGA Extension supports agritourism through expert advice and collaboration 10/24/24 Emily Cabrera
On a sunny day with bright-blue skies, I arrive at Mark’s Melon Patch in Sasser, Georgia, and immediately spot the familiar white University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pickup truck, the Terrell County Extension logo prominently displayed on the door. Seth McAllister, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Terrell County, greets me with a broad grin and a firm handshake. Terrell County alone has 60,000 acres of row crops, half in cotton. But what McAllister loves most about his role as an Extension agent is the diversity of his work.
Ropes course at Georgia 4-H camp CAES News
Campers create lasting memories of summer at Georgia's 4-H centers 10/07/24 Josie Smith
By the end of his first week at 4-H summer camp, fifth grader Cooper Hardy already had many memories of new and exciting experiences. “That was the first time I got in a canoe,” Hardy said. “It was a big deal for me.” Now, 10 years later, Hardy serves as a Georgia 4-H camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. It’s a dream he’s held since the first time he set foot on the sprawling, wooded 1,500-acre campus as a camper.
Caroline Hinton is the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA) CAES News
Director of experiential learning herds students toward new fields of education 10/02/24 Averi Caldwell
Caroline Hinton wants to foster a love of learning for all students who walk through her door. As the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Hinton helps students connect with their fields of study outside of the classroom. “I find joy and excitement in getting to watch students experience different parts of agriculture and find a place in our state’s own agriculture industry,” she said.
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel saw some damage from the winds and rain of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA) CAES News
UGA weathers Hurricane Helene 09/27/24
The University of Georgia’s main campus was fortunate to emerge relatively unscathed after Hurricane Helene barreled through the state early Friday morning. However, the impact was more significant at our extended campus locations. While the UGA Griffin campus reported no major damage, UGA-Tifton was hit much harder, with dozens of downed trees and power outages, as well as flooding in several buildings. Damage to farm operations across south Georgia appears to be extensive.
Honorees at the 2024 State 4-H Congress included 4-H Green Jacket Award winner Jay Morgan, Master 4-H’er Vidhi Patel, Warnell Associate Dean for Outreach Nick Fuhrman for Warnell accepting the Friend of 4-H Award on behalf of the college, Georgia 4-H State President Kingston Ryals, William H. Booth Award winner Patrick Willis, and Ryles Rising Star Award Laura Mirarchi. CAES News
Outstanding youth, supportive adults celebrated at Georgia 4-H State Congress 08/14/24 Josie Smith
Accomplished 4-H youth and the adults who empower them gathered at the 81st Georgia 4-H State Congress in Atlanta July 23-26. The weeklong event for top 4-H’ers features state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action competitions and recognizes youth development professionals and community supporters contributing to the success of 4-H in Georgia. More than 200 youth delegates competed in 50 Project Achievement areas and eight youth delegates competed in the Leadership in Action contest during annual event.