Kentucky adds 4-H agent-at-large with focus on science and technology

Across the country, groups are trying to get more students interested in science and math. The National 4-H Council hopes to do the same, and in Kentucky, Toney Earle has been named the state's first 4-H agent-at-large for science, engineering and technology programs. he will work in the almost entirely rural western end of the state.

Earle's major focus areas will include biotechnology, robotics, forces in motion, global positioning systems and geographic information systems, according to a University of Kentucky news release. Earle, formerly a 4-H youth development agent in McCracken County, moved into his new role at the beginning of October and works from UK's College of Engineering facility at Paducah.

The goal is to get more young people interested in the subjects of math and science — areas where American students are trailing their peers internationally. Over the next five years, the National 4-H Council wants to use the program to add 1 million new young people to the association in the next five years. Kentucky hopes to add 50,000.

"If we can get them interested in something related to engineering, then we can show them that they need to be concentrating on math and science," Earle said in the release. "It’s not just having fun with robots, for example. You have to know not only that it is fun but the why behind them. You’ve got to understand the science that makes them work.” For the news-release site, click here. (Releases are not posted immediately)