Getting students excited about science is a big focus of National 4-H Week, Oct. 4-10, 2009. Students across Louisiana and the country will be making ethanol, one of the most common biofuels in the United States.

According to David Boldt, state 4-H science and technology coordinator, every parish will receive one Biofuel Blast experimental kit. “The kit provides all of the components and instructions for conducting the experiment and will be the same kit used across the country,” Boldt said.

To make ethanol, the students must break down the sugars in corn syrup by adding yeast. The chemical reaction will produce ethanol along with carbon dioxide. The lesson will also expose students to other possible biofuels that can be manufactured using raw materials produced in Louisiana, such as sugarcane and soybeans.

Ethanol will not be the only biofuel produced by Louisiana 4-H’ers. Boldt said that at science and technology camps held throughout the year, students will produce biodiesel. The biodiesel will be used to power AgCenter equipment.

Nationally, 4-H has made the teaching of science, engineering and technology a priority. The organization hopes to prepare young people to excel in science, engineering and technology through innovative program activities such as the Biofuel Blast experiment. Currently, more than 5 million 4-H students are taking part in science and technology programs.

The Louisiana 4-H curriculum is designed to help students and teachers meet the standards and benchmarks established by the Louisiana Department of Education.

“This experiment is an example of how 4-H can assist schools in the teaching of science and improve the educational experience for those participants,” said Mark Tassin, director of the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H and youth development program.

In Louisiana, many other initiatives feature science, engineering and technology. At 4-H summer camp, more than 800 students participated in a new track examining engineering, chemistry and aerospace concepts.

The LOST (Louisiana Outdoor Science and Technology) camp, in its second year in 2009, studied topics ranging from robotics, energy to forensic sciences. This camp was an extension of the 4-H summer camping program and open to students in grades seven and eight.

Because of Louisiana’s abundance of coastal and upland wetlands, two programs initiated through 4-H give students the opportunity to experience these wetlands firsthand. For some participants, it is their first exposure to places such as the Gulf of Mexico or the Atchafalaya Basin.

Marsh Maneuvers is a weeklong camp held every July at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Cameron and Vermilion parishes. The camp focuses on the life cycle of marine organisms and the complexity of restoration efforts. Students learn how to throw a cast net, a tool that is used to sample marine life, and take part in vegetative plantings to reduce the rate of wetland loss in the area.

The largest environment education effort in 4-H is the Youth Wetlands Education and Outreach Program. Since its creation in 2007, more than 100,000 students and 2,000 teachers have become involved with the program.

Paul Coreil, vice chancellor of the LSU AgCenter and a former fisheries agent in Cameron Parish, understands the importance of teaching young people the essential role wetlands play in Louisiana.

“We want to continue to teach students across the state about the coastal land loss challenges and potential solutions, which will be crucial to long-term sustainability of coastal and noncoastal communities protected from hurricanes by wetland buffers,” Coreil said.

The Youth Wetlands Education and Outreach Program provides teachers in grades four through 12 with grade-appropriate materials and lesson plans. The curriculum is based on the grade level expectations established by the Louisiana Department of Education, according to Ashley Mullens, 4-H Youth Wetlands Program director.

“These lessons not only focus on Louisiana’s coastal marshes, but also the important role that bottomland and upland swamps play in our wetland systems,” Mullens said. “The lessons are just as applicable to a teacher in Morehouse Parish as to a teacher in Terrebonne Parish.”

Educators are eligible to receive the Youth Wetlands Program curriculum at no cost. This year they need to register by Oct. 16 at www.lsuagcenter.com/yww to receive the instructional material for this year’s lessons.

If anyone is interested in starting a 4-H club in a school or town or becoming a volunteer leader, contact your local parish LSU AgCenter extension office or go to www.lsuagcenter.com/4h.

In Louisiana, more than 275,000 students participate in 4-H activities each year. The youth program is administered through the LSU AgCenter and has clubs located in all 64 parishes. Nationally, approximately 6 million young people take part in 4-H.