Technology coming to forefront of traditional program

By THERESA HOGUE

Gazette-Times reporter

Traditionally the name "4-H" might evoke images of county fairs and baby farm animals.

But today it's just as likely that 4-H kids and teens are learning computer-mapping skills or developing science projects. The program has expanded far beyond its agricultural base to embrace emerging technologies and cutting-edge science.

Leaders in a number of Oregon 4-H programs had a chance to brag about 4-H's achievements this week at Oregon State University during a luncheon for Milton Chen, the executive director of the George Lucas Educational Foundation. Chen was treated to both lunch and an update on 4-H's expanding mission.

Chen's friend and colleague Chester Bateman invited him to OSU. Bateman is a technology advocate with close ties to OSU's College of Education. Chen heard nearly two hours of information on the ways that 4-H programs are using technology as a tool for educating Oregon's youth.

That information could be of use to Chen some day.

The George Lucas Educational Foundation is located in San Rafael, Calif. near the "Star Wars" director's film production center. As part of its mission, the foundation documents the work that educators are doing to bring technological innovations into the classroom.

Roger Rennekamp, 4-H State Program Leader and department head, told Chen that 4-H has evolved from its early agricultural roots.

"We engage the kids in learning," he said. "It's more than raising an animal and selling it at auction."

Much of 4-H programming targets at-risk youth by giving them a chance to get involved in fun math, technology and science programs that help keep them active and engaged. Often, being in 4-H simply keeps them in school.

Sarah Cofer, a faculty member with 4-H SET (Science, Engineering and Technology) told Chen about a recent trip she'd taken to Chile with a group of seven at-risk Latino youth who taught basic GIS mapping skills to students in an all-girls school. The project enabled the Chilean students to use their new mapping skills to plot out bike routes in their town, and present a proposal to their mayor to get a new bike path created. For the Oregon students, who are bilingual and from low-income backgrounds, it was a rare opportunity to feel important in the eyes of the Chilean students.

"It was clearly a hero-worship situation," Cofer said. "It was so good for those kids to be on top."

Lisa Conroy works with the "Tech Wizards" program in Washington County. Through a partnership with Intel, the program helps Latino teens master the latest computer science and technology. Conroy said students participating in Tech Wizards have a 97.5 percent graduation rate. Oregon's overall graduation rate among Hispanic students is 63.7 percent.

"It's a phenomenal success rate," Conroy said.