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4-H expands STEM education

4-H is a safe place to learn, and it’s a great place to explore, fail, and persevere. The 4-H Robotics Club in Edgar County allows 4th to 12th graders to gain confidence in STEM subjects twice a week during the school year.


Held at Crestwood School under the leadership of Mary St. Clair, this special interest, or SPIN 4-H club, uses resources provided by Illinois Extension, including LEGO® MINDSTORMS®, a 3D printer, and Junk Drawer Robotics 4-H curriculum.


In addition to the 4-H Robotics Club, Illinois Extension provided STEM classroom resources to St. Clair for grades 6, 7, and 8. Sixth graders used the Paper Circuits curriculum to explore electric circuits and create unique projects that light up when pressed.

The seventh graders used Extension-provided solar cars to work in teams to design and engineer the best car for speed and control. This project has quickly become a favorite of students.

Used in the eighth-grade classroom, LEGO® MINDSTORMS® teach students to code robots to perform specific tasks.

By collaborating with local schools, Illinois Extension and Illinois 4-H can bring dimension to existing school programs
and create new ones.

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