Area 4-H: Star & STEM

The Texas 4-H STEM ambassadors, including Castro County 4-Her Spencer Acker, hosted Texas 4-H Night at NASA Saturday night in Space Center Houston.

Space Center Houston is the official museum and Visitor Center of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which is where both the Mission Control and training facility for astronauts are.

More than 100 youth and adults experienced the space center in a unique way. Astronaut Kevin Ford was on hand to speak to the group as they navigated through a space exploration journey, engaged in science, technology and engineering.

Attendees participated in three experiments, including building a “heat shield, devolving a payload delivery system and coding a robot.”

Additionally, Acker and the other ambassadors helped younger 4-Hers learn and experience the events.

As part of the program, attendees spent the night at NASA, and then watched a movie about life on an international space station and visit Rocket Park with Saturn IV and the astronaut training facility.

As a STEM ambassador and being involved in the 4-H Science, Technology and Engineering projects provides a wide variety of opportunities for youth to learn – and share – with other members. The Texas 4-H STEM Ambassadors is a state-wide team who work in a youth-adult partnership structure to promote, educate, and inspire others in the area of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The team consists of 4-H members 15 years and older who have a strong interest in promoting STEM to other 4-H members, volunteers, as well as groups outside of 4-H. The team meets throughout the year to develop and support programs in areas such as robotics, photography, and video production.

Acker has been participating and competing in STEM activities through Castro County 4-H for several years and is now competitive in the Nazareth Robotics program.