Young people in rural areas often do not have the same access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education as youth in suburban areas of the country, according to the Hechinger Report, a national educational newsroom.
With a population of around 7,000, Kane County, Utah, is undoubtedly rural, but the USU Extension 4-H youth development program has established a thriving STEM program. With only 1,300 students in grades K-12 and where all the elementary schools receive financial assistance as Title 1 schools, 80% of students in the district participate in computer science and coding education before they reach middle school. The 4-H program, in partnership with the Kane County School District, has accomplished this significant level of STEM education engagement in just six years.
Elizabeth Davis, Extension professor over 4-H in Kane County, and Angie Reidhead, 4-H…
