4-H 'Wired for Wind' project a success
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Wednesday night 4-H youth conducted science experiments at the Harrisburg Wal-Mart to test the power of wind energy. The project, called Wired for Wind, involved making a wind turbine and testing the amount of energy it could create in front of a fan.
The event was a nationwide initiative by 4-H to involve youth in science projects by holding a National Youth Science Day. This is the fourth year for the event, but the first time Wal-Mart got involved.
Wal-Marts all over Illinois participated in the project.
"They've been great to work with," said 4-H Extension Program Coordinator Nancy Lambert.
The 4-H youth helped each other build their windmills, and even got some young Wal-Mart customers involved in the project.
4-H member Noah Lambert helped a younger member with his make-shift turbine.
"If you have the paper in a cup shape it produces more energy," Lambert told the younger kid.
The purpose of the project was to demonstrate how wind energy works and also to get youth involved in science and technology.
"Kids are more likely to get involved in science-based careers after being involved in 4-H projects," said 4-H extension educator Melissa Bramlet Wilson.
4-H National Youth Science Day has a bold goal of combating the national shortage of young people pursuing science-based occupations.
Wilson and Lambert hope their event taught kids that science and technology can be fun, and that projects likes these encourage youth to pursue science-based careers in the future.