April 25 the 4-H STEM Club hosted their final Project Showcase for community members and family members to see what the 26 members had learned and experienced with this month’s lessons about computer science. Youth were excited to spend more time with the bee bots and dash robots as well as create a fun presentation for their guests.

Washington County Extension & 4-H partnered together with a sponsorship from Bazooka Farmstar to offer this 4-H STEM Club to any 3rd-5th grade students who want to experiment more with science, technology, engineering, and math. The March and April sessions are being led by volunteers Liz Goodwin, Julie Timmins and Extension 4-H Staff Amy Green.

Since January, through the 4-H Afterschool STEM CLUB, there has been over 450 hours of hands-on science completed in the Lincoln Elementary School Library with students 3rd-5th grade. They have learned about wind energy, mechanical engineering, wheel and axel systems, coding, brain safety, helmet design, team work and problem solving.

STEM Club has concluded for hti syear, but the Washington County Extension’s summer day camp program, Clover University, is taking registrations. The complete listing of 25 camp offerings in five different communities is available at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/washington/news/clover-university-summer-camps-registration-open. Camps are filled on a first come, first serve basis with payment to the Washington County Extension Office.

In the 4-H afterschool STEM Club small groups were challenged on the final day to program their robots to perform a synchronized routine. These Dash robots were programmed through the Wonder app. This group made of Kyann M, Joe M and Nicholas C who programed their robots to not only move but to spin and talk together.

The 4-H STEM Club started their April session “Robots on Parade ” April 11 afterschool taking over the Lincoln Elementary Library. This month they are learning about computer science by coding two different types of robots. 25 participants learned about algorithems, or step by step instructions assigned to machines, by completing missions with bee bot robots.

Washington County Extension & 4-H and Lincoln Elementary are partnering together with a sponsorship from Bazooka Farmstar to offer this 4-H STEM Club to any 3rd-5th grade student who wants to experiment more with science, technology, engineering, and math. Liz Goodwin, Julie Timmins and Amy Green from Washington County Extension are instructing the club.

A community showcase is planned for April 25 at 4:30 p.m. to showcase what the students have learned and programmed their robots to do. Any community member is welcome to come learn more from these students and see their recycled racers in action.

Similar STEM opporutinitie will be available this summer through Washington County Extension’s Clover University summer day camps. Registration information available April 17. Contact the Washington County Extension Office, 319-653-4811 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , with any questions about this new STEM Club or how to get involved with other youth science activities. Follow “Washington County 4-H – Iowa” for more photos and up to date information on youth programs throughout Washington County.