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NASA Lifts Off 4-H Youth Development Day

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland will launch its first 4-H Youth Development, Ohio State University Extension Cuyahoga County event on Friday, June 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lewis Field, 21000 Brookpark Road.

Media interested in covering the event should contact Jeannette Owens no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 15, to be cleared through security. For inquiries or to request high-resolution images, send an email or call 216-433-2990.

4-H youth designing a food container unit for the Rocket’s to Rescue Program
4-H youth designing a food container unit for the Rocket’s to Rescue Program Credits: NASA/OSU Extension Robin Stone, MS

The 4-H Youth Development event is geared to inspire youth from kindergarten to 12th grade to become interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Participants are from cities, villages and townships in Cuyahoga County.

“I’m excited to work with the 4-H Youth Development program,” said Robert LaSalvia, chief of Glenn’s Office of Education. “Through collaborations like this we are able to introduce youth to STEM careers and help inspire our next generation of Glenn scientists and engineers.” 

This all day event includes remarks by LaSalvia and Jacqueline Kirby Wilkins, associate chair/region director, Northeast Region, OSU Extension.

“I can’t think of a more exciting partnership as it relates to bringing STEM alive for young and hungry minds, in an interactive and inspiring environment,” said Wilkins. “I know this event and ongoing collaborations between NASA and 4-H will ignite the imagination, and lead to increased STEM engagement and a future full of possibilities for the next generation.”

The event kicks off with NASA engineers John Lekki and Roger Tokars. Lekki is the principal investigator for Glenn’s harmful algal bloom monitoring. He will talk about the algal blooms affecting the Great Lakes region and the need to monitor the lakes for potentially harmful algae in those waters.

Tokars is the lead hyperspectral instrument engineer. He will talk about the development of a hyperspectral imager system for the monitoring of potentially harmful algae and the future plans of hyperspectral imagers for manned aircraft, satellites and unmanned aerial systems.

After the kickoff, NASA’s scientists, engineers and education staff will join over 150 youth, in STEM activities featuring how to grow plants in microgravity, career exploration stations, and facility tours.

-end-

Jeannette Owens
NASA Glenn Research Center
216-433-2990
jeannette.p.owens@nasa.gov