4-H National Youth Science Day 2019 is coming up fast, and we need facilitators to join our county committee and help run this event. Kris Konrad and Jack Boreczky from East Hills and Jeff Robbins from Palomares are the adult volunteers planning this event, but we need youth 4-H members to help us plan, organize and make this a successful NYSD 2019!
The theme is “Game Changers” and will be Thursday, October 17th, from 6-9 pm at Canyon Middle School in Castro Valley. If you would like to be on the committee, please sign up here: Sign up Page for NYSD Committee
If you have any questions, mail Kris at inf@EastHlls4H.org. Besides coming to the NYSD event, you will also need to attend the committee meeting planned for Sunday, October 6th (in afternoon, location to be determined).
Coding experience is NOT needed for helping out, just some preparation and reading through the material.
See below for a walk-through of what we will be doing this year, and please consider joining the committee and helping to facilitate what will certainly be a fun and educational event!
Getting ready to help facilitate
- First, head to NYSD Website — Resources and download the Facilitator Guide.
- Read through the activities, and be ready to run through the games and activities at the committee meeting.
- After the committee meeting, play/do the games and activities at home so that you won’t be reading the guide at the actual event to answer questions or help kids.
- The NYSD people have also made 4 webinars available (same link as above, farther down the page). You just need a Zoom account (free) to watch.
What Are the Three Activities Happening at Game Changers NYSD?
1. Pitch Your Passion (this is on a computer using Scratch)
2. Hack Your Harvest (game using game boards and pieces).
3. Program Your Playground (program a playground game with a ball).
Being a Facilitator
What does a facilitator do at the actual event?
- Help with set up before the event, help get attendees situated and set at their assigned table.
- Be welcoming. Introduce yourself to your group members and ask questions of them to make them more comfortable.
- Introduce the first activity with a quick overview (remember, kids want to be doing, not sitting and listening) and get the group started. Ask and answer questions of each group member as you go around and check in with everyone to be sure they are happy and involved with the activity.
- Keep an eye on the group’s interest level and energy, if it seems as if they are getting bored with something, move on to something else.
- Finish up by checking in with everyone and letting them know that they only have 10-15 minutes left to finish. Ask for help in cleaning up, and be sure to thank everyone for coming out to NYSD. You can do this before or after the round-up talk done on the main stage, it depends on the group.
- Help clean up the room and then pat yourself on the back for a job well done!