Last Day of 4-H Bio-tech Day Camp is Shocking

Shocking might be a slight exaggeration of our excitement on our last day of 4-H Bio tech Day Camp, but we were playing with electricity and solar energy...in other words we playing with power!

Out day started off with some team working games until all the counties got together and then with the help of the Bladen County Ambassadors (under the expert guidance of Kelli Hill) we got down to the wire, circuit, and resistor to put together our attitude selectors. The youth stripped wires, soldered them to the circuit board, worked with capacitors, switches, wire cutters, and a little ingenuity to create their own electric project to take home. They also learned about completing project records, and 4-H Electric Congress which they got very excited about.

After an incredible lunch prepared by Mrs. Penny and grilled by our Robeson County grilling guru Larry Russ, we got refueled with burgers, hot dogs, chips and cookies. After our pit stop it was time to hit the track as we learned about solar energy.

Our youth measured the power from florescent lights, lights through glass and sun light before constructing solar cars. As the teams put their cars together they took them outside to see how they worked. As they noticed problems, such as cars that continuously took left turns, they came back inside to work on the design and fix it so it would travel straight. Of course the ultimate part of this project was the solar car race. As soon as the clouds backed away we dropped the flag on this race. We had one car that travelled off the curb in front of the Robeson County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Office, into the parking lot and still won the race.

After completing our electric forms, and our camp evaluations we sat back and enjoyed a slide show with a bunch of photos from the week. It was a great time and it looks like we will try it again next year with Bio tech III. We'll let you know as we get closer.

Story Book Creatures offer a Scientific Look into Prehistoric Times

We loaded up in the vans and headed to an amazing place today....Noah's Landing in Coats, NC. Noah's Landing is a hands on zoo adventure and that is what all our youth enjoyed today. Everyone got to see an animal that they had never seen or even heard of before, as well as some that they had heard of but never seen. Sometimes they even got to feed or pet some of the animals. Have you ever petted an opossum? Or watched a yak suck up for carrots? We saw that and so much more today.

Our day started with an introduction to some of the smaller guests and this nonprofit nature center. A small alligator was the first guest we were introduced to and had a chance to pet. Then we learned the difference between turtles and tortoises, both of which can be found at Noah's Landing as well as many varieties of each species. Then our youth (and yes our adults) were handed handfuls of carrots, dog food and other goodies to feed their first set of animals. The mules, zebra and an emu were awfully glad to see our youth and ran right up hoping for hand outs. We learned which animals likes what and that the emu and carrots were not a good idea but a little dog food went a long way to winning some affection...at least as much as an emu can give.

We were then introduced to a familiar sound but not a familiar sight. The kookaburra bird has a familiar sound thanks to Hollywood that has put the birds call in jungle scenes for decades, however this bird, or king fisher as we learned today is truly an outback animal. The birds can eat all sorts of bugs, rats, mice, snakes, etc. They kill their prey and then eat it.

From there we headed towards a building with a quick stop to say hello to monkeys and lemurs. They were having fun playing and did not notice us too much. We then headed into a building that housed some really interesting animals, many that are nocturnal. The porcupines were asleep on top of their tree, and the armadillo was awakened by our crowd as we ohhed and ahhed over the various types of cats. There was also a gigantic tortoise in this building with another that was not quite as big. Of course the one thing that squeezed our attention was a ball python that everyone got a chance to pet.

We took a brief break for lunch and recycled our plastic bottles, and other things that will help save the environment and a home for our new four legged friends. We were excited to continue our tour and learn more about the animals that live here.

Our next stop introduced us to wallabies, similar to kangaroos but smaller. We saw some interesting birds, we petted a Hungarian pot bellied pig, and then there was Susie. Susie is a yak. Yes, I said yak. She is very sweet and loves attention, so it was a good thing we had so many hands to feed her a favorite snack of carrots. From there we meant some different kinds of porcupines, prairie dogs, really big rabbits, and lets not forget Wilbur. Wilbur is a pot bellied pig that wanders around and acts like a vacuum cleaner eating whatever food the other animals drop. Although he did not seem to get to close to the wolf, I must admit.

Our last stop on this incredible tour was an air conditioned room that housed a variety of animals. Our first introduction was to Teddy. Teddy is a Capuchin Monkey. He is very smart. loves toys and loves to play. During our stay in this air conditioned animal mecca Teddy did his best to still the show and get our attention, which he did frequently. We woke up a Kinajou which hung above our youths heads and pretended to fly and play before climbing back in his hammock which looks a lot like a baby snuggie. The youth got a chance to pet a skunk, a opossum, and a cockatoo. We met a two headed lizard (or a fat tailed lizard) and a two toed sloth (yes, they really exist). It was an incredible day of learning and fun.

We travelled back home with tired and sleepy youth thanks to the heat and excitement. It is hard to believe that we only have one day of bio-tech day camp left. Tomorrow is about building power. Check back to see all the fun we have.

Apple Completing Circuits to Space and Beyond

We had a huge day of learning and fun on Wednesday or as we know it, day three of 4-H Bio-tech II the Sequel. We started our day by heading to Raleigh to the IMAX theatre. We caught a double feature complete with popcorn and sodas. The first movie was Hubble 3-D, where we learned the history of the Hubble telescope and went along on the last mission to fix and update this important scientific tool. Our next movie took us through the desserts and gave us a better understanding of Arabia in 3-D. After all of that international and intergalactic travel we headed to N. C. State University where we ate lunch in a real college dining hall.

After filling our stomachs (and seeing Coach Lowe who was eating in the dining room we were in) we headed over to Centennial campus to Science House. There we split into groups with graduate students and conducted some really awesome experiments. There were seven stations each with a unique experiment.

At one station we measured the temperature of chemical reactions. Another we experimented with metal that moves, based on temperature. One of our favorite stations involved two apples with different metal rods sticking out of them. The youth hooked different cables with alligator clips to different combinations of rods to see how much energy could be generated. After the experiment the Science House Pre-College Outreach Coordinator, Dr. Lisa Grable, told the youth that one of the best conductors of energy is Diet Coke. Now they know why Miss Shea Ann has so much energy as she conducts programming.

The youth also worked with circuits, found a way to make a windmill, played with solar energy and calculated the wattage of incandescent light bulbs versus CFL bulbs. What they found was the amount of money saved over time is much greater than the amount spent on buying the initial bulbs. The youth had so much fun working the experiments we were sad to leave for the ride home.

However tomorrow is going to be a ton of fun as we visit Noah's Landing and see all kinds of animals and what it takes to care for them. Stay tuned to the blog for day for of our scientific adventures.

Team Science

What's better than blowing things up and out? How about finding ways to do it as a team? We realize this sounds dangerous, but as we headed into day two of our 4-H Bio-tech Day camp we our Bladen County Ambassadors had it all under control. To start with any good science experiment it is always good to have a few basic definitions and a good set of instructions. 4-H Bio-tech II the Sequel Day Camp is a cooperative effort between Bladen, Hoke and Robeson County 4-H programs. Each day we meet to focus on one science area, today we focused on different types of sciences and forces and did we ever have fun. The entire day was lead by the Bladen County Ambassadors. this is a group of teens who have taken various types of classes to help promote 4-H. They serve as role models of what 4-H has to offer and often take on added responsibilities. Today they took on 30 youth and chemical and physical sciences and more forces than we can even mention. The neat thing was that each science activity we did also doubled as a team working exercise, and allowed everyone to get to know each other and accidentally gain those life skills that we love in 4-H.

We started out breaking up into teams that meant youth from each county were on each team. this gave everyone a chance to work with someone new and use their strengths to better the team effort. Each team, based on their performance for each activity were awarded points with the winning team receiving a prize.

The activities started with testing gravitational forces. What better way to do that than with some balloons and a little space outside. The youth came up with a variety of scenarios to change the rate and direction of falling balloons, however as they learned gravity won this experiment.

Our next activity also involved gravity but was a bit sweeter. The youth started with an Oreo cookie on their forehead and try to move it without using and hands, feet, arms or legs. In other words with the movement of their heads an facial muscles they have to move the Oreo down their face to their mouth where they get to enjoy the sweet treat if they make it. Once again, even though some realized the sweet treat, they realized gravity is tough if not impossible to beat.

Our next activity was a force of nature, or toilet paper to be more precise. Each team received a full roll of toilet paper, got in a circle setting the roll of toilet paper on end. The rules of this activity say the person may unroll the toilet paper using one hand and arm. When the move was made they went to town with any movement they could think of. Some were large and animated, others quiet and small. The first team to finish received the points and everyone learned about centrifugal force.

Our next activity was also forceful as our youth tried to toss a bottle that was one third full of water onto a table. the goal was not only to get it to land on the table but to also have it stand upright when it landed. It's all about weights and leverage and finding out that no one in the group actually had very good aim. This lead us to the next activity that also involved leverage. One team member had to put a piece of dry spaghetti into their mouths and thread sewer pipe pasta on the spaghetti without using their hands. they had to keep going until all the spaghetti was full. Looks tough? According to our youth it is tougher than it looks primarily because everything slides.

Next it was time to make things slide with our own air. No we were not talking things away, we actually were blowing them away. Our ambassadors set up a row of plastic cups and with an inflated balloon the teams would try to blow off as many cups as possible in a minute. The trick was to blow the balloon up as fast as possible, and keep blowing the cups off until the minute was up. What our youth learned was that small spurts of air can be just as effective as a big wind, and generate more energy.

It was time to take a lunch break after all of that fun. So we did another chemical reaction experiment at lunch. Digesting a whole bunch of Mrs. Penny's incredible pizza. That is the kind of experiment we like to try over and over again.

After that experiment it was time to head back to all the hands on official fun. We started back by conducting the 2009 4-H National Science Experiment. This experiment involved a chemical reaction and blowing stuff up (got your attention didn't we?). Each team combined sugar, yeast and warm water in a soda bottle and capped it with a balloon. We placed the bottles outside and while we waited we headed around the building to recreate another well known explosion. On the other side of the building were two liter bottles of caffeine free diet coke, coke, sprite, orange crush, ginger ale, and diet coke. Wearing safety goggles our youth took an unnamed, but well known candy, and dropped it in each one. As the candy hit the soda they ran back and we visually determined which one had the highest explosion. Just for your information diet coke, and coke were the top two contenders. After we ran back to our bottles, only to find that the balloons on top of our bottles with the strange mixture had actually started inflating. It turns out that the chemical reaction in the bottle created a gas, or bio fuel that was filling the balloons.

After creating our own bio fuel we did something a little more practical. We explored what makes baby's diapers so absorbent. The team each received a plastic cup and a secret substance. This substance is the same one found in baby's diapers. The teams added water to the cups and a mysterious gel like substance was created that was really fun to turn upside down and poke and prod at. No water leaked out of the cup, the substance mysteriously absorbed all of the liquid. It was so cool!

Now you might think that was enough for one day but you would be oh so wrong. It was time to work with the force again. Our teams competed in what might be termed a back to school competition. The youth were given two pencils and had to toss them off the back of their hands and catch them in the same hand. If they were successful their pencils would be increased by one and they would continue until they couldn't catch anymore. Gravity, leverage, and no absorbency all played a roll in this fun experiment.

After a little back to school fun we had one last experiment, to help build on everything we had learned. Using candy and dried pasta we had to develop a tower that could stand on its own for at least 30 seconds. Each team had three minutes to make the tallest and sturdiest structure they could. When it was all done the team with the tallest structure won the points. However the Bladen county 4-H Agent determined that the team scores were so close that everyone deserved a taste of the grand prize, ice cream sundaes.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's fun as we head to Raleigh for IMAX movies, the N.C. State Dinning Hall for Lunch and then off to Science house. We'll let you know how it all goes tomorrow, just stay tuned to the blog to see what this 4-H group is up to.

Getting Greasey and Full of Power

What a day we had for our first day of "Biotech II the Sequel". We travelled to Pittsboro and New Hill to visit things we had never seen before. Before we talk about today perhaps we should tell you about our Biotech day camps. This week long day camp started last year after three very creative 4-H Agents (if we do say so ourselves) met and came up with the idea of a travelling 4-H Camp. So Cathy Brown with Hoke County 4-H, Angela Shaver with Bladen County 4-H, and Shea Ann DeJarnette with Robeson County 4-H came together to create the Biotech experience. Last year each day had a theme; there was Under the Sea, CSI, Experimenting with Experiments, Agri-Science, and Alternative Energy. It was such a success that we decided to create an entirely new event this year. Our themes this year include; Power, More Power, Science Exploration and Explosions, Agri-Science and much more. The themes may peak your interest but it is the hands on approach that has the youth so excited.

Today our theme was Power as we explored some really cool power sources. We started our day in Pittsboro, NC at the Piedmont Bio Fuels Center. There we started with a tour of the farm, which is part of a nonprofit organization called the Abundance Foundation. The farm has multiple purposes and is self sustaining. Not only is it an experimental garden in that it is organic and the farmers are using various methods to increase yield, heartiness, and sustainability, but it is a working farm where what is harvested is sold at the local farmers market. The bio fuel center also uses various vegetables to test the seeds to determine if oils from the fruits or vegetables can be used in the bio fuel process. The farmers use seeds from the plants they grow, save them, and plant them the following year. They even have their own bee hives to help pollinate the plants they grow and there were some really neat plants in there. Our youth saw organic pest control methods, saw squash, sweet potatoes and peanuts right off the plants. They also got to test cherry tomatoes from plants that were taller than they were. Our three county team also saw (and smelled) basil lettuce, it is a milder form of basil (not lettuce) that is grown in the form of really big leaves. The entire farm visit was a great introduction to the bio fuel center.

As we stepped off the farm and into the bio fuel plants we were first introduced to the basis of this fuel...old, used, nasty looking cooking oil. The oil is collected from approximately 200 local restaurants and is put into big tanks where chemicals are mixed in to separate the fuel and the glycerin. The glycerin is sold off for other purposes, and the fuel is filtered and turned into bio diesel. Our tour guide explained that at the plants peak they were making up to 130,000 gallons of bio diesel in a month. However at that time they had to by their base or the cooking oil they were using and it was costing a great deal of money. The plant now works with local restaurants to pick up their used oil for free. By collecting their own oil and working with the local restaurants the center has been able to find a way to make a profit while only producing about 30,000 gallons of bio diesel a month. The product sells for about $3.50 a gallon and has been at that same price for about five years.

After enjoying lunch on the grounds, with a really cool chess set, butterflies, flowers, and the coolest recycling center ever it was time to load up and travel. We spent a half hour on the road to reach New Hill, North Carolina home to Harris Nuclear Plant.

The Progressive Energy Center has a great visitors center down the road from the plant, and its most noticeable element, the gigantic cooling tower. We headed straight to a classroom where we watched a fun video on how nuclear energy works. It is really a fairly simple process and we learned that the uranium that is used is not enriched enough to make a bomb or explode like most people think. The uranium is a fuel that is used to help created steam that powers turbines, that generates electricity. It is really a neat process. After learning all about it we had the chance to travel to the hands on learning center where we could climb inside a model of a cooling tower, generate power to light up lights, and run our own security checkpoint. We learned a lot about a different kind of energy and dispelled a bunch of myths. For example did you know the stuff that comes out of the cooling tower is steam from the water cooling, not smoke? We learned that and many other things today.

Tomorrow the Bladen county teens will be coming in to do science experiments with us. Can't wait to see what is in store for us. Don't forget to check out all the details on the blog tomorrow.

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round...

...and bring us home safe and sound but not after a little fun. We started the day with packing and breakfast, (a breakfast sandwich to fill our stomachs) before we hit the road. After packing up, cleaning cabins, and making sure we had all our stuff, we took everything to our county designated place and went to the Rec. Hall for our awards ceremony.

Each camper received an award from their counselors based on their work during the week. There were the ever popular super camper awards, triple A (all around awesome), most polite, thousand questions in a minute, and super trooper awards as well as some that were more personalized to the camper's personality. Everyone walked away with some designation from the people they spent the last week with. Who looked up to them and cared for them as we had a blast.

After the awards it was time to sit back and enjoy memories of the week at camp. Thanks to the help of the camp staff and contributions from the four 4-H agents we had quite a slide show. After the hugs, tears, and exchanging of addresses, cell phone numbers, and face book names it was time to load up the buses and head home.

After the most wonderfully uneventful ride home we pulled in to anxious parents and grandparents. There were hugs, tears, and sniffing of wet clothes that had been packed up (and amusing faces that followed) to take home. Everyone got a t-shirt and went home to tell their parents what a wonderful time they had.

Two to three hours later, facebook posts, and even reports from parents said although their child is exhausted, that they had not stopped talking since they got home. They were sure that they had gotten a narrative of the entire week in two hours. I assured them that was just a blow by blow of the first day and to wait for it....but they would be talking about this experience for a long long time, and would remember it for a lifetime.

Stay posted to our Twitter page and we will give updates as we add the final photos to the days from other agents and even campers.

We must say thank you to many organizations. First of all to our camping counties and agents this year of Richmond (Ms. Michelle), Chatham (Ms. Lauren), and Watauga (Mrs. Karee). Without you this experience would not be nearly as fun. To our volunteer Missy McLean who went, experienced, enjoyed and napped thank you for your fun and supervision. To Chatham County's volunteers Julia Austin and Chris Raisig. You have the calm cool approaches and don't mind tackling any subject from homesickness to financial management (got to earn those dollar bills). To the BJP staff thank you for an incredible year and your care and supervision of our youth. You are the front liners in this experience and you made it incredible. Also I would be neglectful if I did not say thank you to our financial supporters, United Way of Robeson County and Indian Education. Without their help the majority of our youth could not have this life building experience, so we must say thank you!

Is it Our Last Day Already?

This week has flown by as have some of our campers. Today was no different as we dove into our activities for the last time. Our youth took to the archery range, campfire pit, climbed on a horse and got into canoes to practice the skills they learned this week. Sun and Earth groups even took to the high ropes to enjoy flying through the air, and challenging their own fears.

On the archery range our youth were kick on the draw as they remembered range rules and how to fire their bows. They did an awesome job hitting the targets. Next door to the archery range was a campfire pit where the youth practiced their story telling skills while waiting their turn on the archery range.

Walking by the lake you couldn't help but notice our youth in the canoes and listen to their communication skills. I would like to say they were saying things like what a wonderful experience they were having instead it was comments such as, "figure out backwards now before we hit the bank," and, "ummmm how do you suppose we are going to get back to the dock?" Not to worry, no one beached their canoe, or missed the dock when it came time to come in. It was just a little scary for the first time out there by themselves and they did great.

Horseback riding was involved, especially for first timers. Not only did our youth learn about caring for horses, but the beginning lessons in how to ride, and they rode. Some of our youth rode for the first time and had a blast!

Our Trekkers travelled to Pilot Mountain for an overnight event. They travelled by canoe down a river, repelled down rock walls and cooked their food over a campfire. According to one Trekker it was more than fun, it was a lot of fun. they made it back this afternoon in time to clean up for dinner. After the make your own tacos night it was time for the main event. Our 4-H dance.

Our youth had a ball dancing, playing outside, and enjoying sno-cones made by their L.I.T.'s. Our very own Dr. Demetrius Jacobs spun the tuned that ranged from things before my time until way after my time. The Youth danced their hearts out, played outside with balls and hula hoops and in general, had a ball.

The final campfire started out as a humdinger. However two songs in Mother Nature suggested a change in location. Thanks to thunder and lightening the youth then headed to the rec hall to finish their final campfire. As they said good night they headed back to the cabins for showers and to start packing. They were getting information from new friends so they could contact them when they get home.

It is bittersweet as we lay our heads down for the last night in our bunk beds. We will dream about coming home but be sad to leave all the fun and new friends we have made here. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post of coming home to Robeson County.