WACO students turn into ag engineers through 4-H

Several fourth- to sixth-grade WACO students learned and worked as engineers on Friday, Sept. 2, through their +1 elective class for STEM presented by Washington County Extension/4-H.

This semester 4-H/Youth Coordinator Amy Green is inspiring engineers through the hands-on learning on WACO?s +1 days. This first Friday was spent learning what engineers did and they built a wall to solve the long-lived problem of Humpty Dumpty while following closely the specific building constraints and criteria. Students will test the towers next class period.

Amy Green planned the lessons using Engineering is Elementary curriculum and was impressed and entertained with the participants? experience and how they applied that to their challenge. In the coming weeks students will focus in as biomechanical engineers and learn about helmets, design, brain function and parts. They will be challenged to create a helmet to protect a mannequin from a 5-foot fall.

This Engineers Everywhere class is similar to other day camps which will be offered during the summer and on no school days. For more information on camps or other opportunities for youth, contact Amy at the Washington County Extension Office at 319-653-4811.