4-H Special Interest Club Gave Youth Real-World Engineering Experience

A 4-H special interest club known as the DaVinci’s Coders was started to introduce youth to authentic engineering challenges. Volunteers Doug Bergeron and Jeremiah Proctor led the club targeted to high school age youth which put a heavy focus on college and career development.

The club started with the goal of using a unique approach to the projects. “We found a ‘customer’ in the community who had a need for a new or improved process, tool, system, or product,” he explained. The club members learn the engineering process with a real-life situation, while also making a positive impact in their community.

Bergeron taught the club members the three basic phases of an engineering project: 1) define the problem, 2) investigate the solutions, and 3) evaluate the options. “The first phase involved working directly with the customer to capture all the requirements for solving the problem,” mentioned Bergeron. “Once captured, the students began the second phase known as solutioning. The students researched the pieces of the puzzle, found other technical experts to ask questions of, and began to find solutions for the project requirements. This is where creative problemsolving skills are developed.”

The final phase is the detailed proposal and a final presentation to the customer. “The third phase is all about the written and oral communication an engineer is often tasked with,” Bergeron stated.

Working through the entire engineering process helps members work better as a team, develop communication skills, learn problem-solving skills, network with community members, and more.

DAVINCI’S CODERS STEM PROJECTS

• Dickson Mounds Museum – proposal for audio/visual upgrades

• City of Havana – proposal for energy efficient lighting project at Havana Fire Department

• 2018 4-H state robotics competition

“Taking something that you have zero experience in and putting together a whole project; it builds confidence to do things like that in the future.”

BOONE FORMHALS DAVINCI’S CODERS 4-H CLUB MEMBER