| | SET club members work together to construct balloon powered cars on Earth Day |
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| | SET club member, Jonathin Sisler, puts the final touches on the balloon powered car his team constructed |
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| | SET club members observe the different balloon powered cars each team designed and constructed |
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The newly formed 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) club in St. Tammany Parish is for Fourth- through Eighth-graders and focuses on exploring careers by scheduling hands-on workshops and activities with professionals in various occupations to give youth a chance to try out a career they might be interested in for the future.
The SET club is a joint venture between the LSU AgCenter and St. Tammany Fire District No. 1. 4-H members of this club do activities related to the projects included in the science, engineering and technology 4-H areas. Project books included in this area are aerospace, electricity, photography, environment, pet care, horticulture, health, foods and nutrition, insects/entomology, machines, outdoor skills, livestock, vet science, plant science, dog care and communications.
The SET club recently held its second club meeting on April 22, 2009, which coincidently fell on Earth Day. The focus of this meeting was to learn about renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. Club members identified and participated in discussions about renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower. Members also learned about nonrenewable energy sources and discovered that we receive most of the world’s energy from fossil fuels that are unable to be replenished. Club members were asked to brainstorm to identify and explore alternative sources for fossil fuels.
The volunteer leader of this club, Firefighter Tony Garcia, had a fun and exciting activity planned for club members to go along with this lesson on renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. He split members into teams of four or five individuals and provided them with materials needed to create and design a balloon-powered car. Teams had to work together to determine what materials they would use to construct their vehicles. “This is an excellent way for 4-H members to learn by doing and build teamwork, all while having fun,” Garcia said.
Monthly meetings and workshops will continue to be held at the St. Tammany Fire District No. 1Training Academy at Camp Villere in Slidell. For more information, please contact Janie Kelly, 4-H agent at the LSU AgCenter at 985-875-2635.