Lighting the Path for 4th Graders
The month of March is packed full of activity at the cooperative. Hopefully, after a cold start of the year, March brings with it a little warm up. I’m fairly certain my heat pump and furnace did not shut off once during the entire month of January, so I’m definitely looking forward to warmer days and a little less kilowatt usage.
March is usually when we wrap up the final circuit board 4th grade school project of the year. It is humbling to be able to continue a tradition that has been going strong for nearly 30 years. When Fred Bauman, or as some of you might know him as “Uncle Fred,” partnered with the Purdue Extension of Fulton County to take this project into the schools, I’m sure they had no idea how much of an impact it would have. Today, that partnership continues with the Purdue Extension of Fulton County, and we’ve also expanded the program to include 4th graders at Eastern Pulaski Elementary School through the Purdue Extension of Pulaski County, giving even more students the chance to learn, explore, and build confidence through this hands-on project.
I came to the REMC a few years after Fred retired, but I was fortunate to learn all about circuit boards from Greg Bitterling. Greg did an excellent job explaining the project to the 4th graders. His goal was not for me to teach it exactly the way he had, but to make it my own, and I truly appreciated that. Although the kids and helpers might not enjoy my style quite as much as my predecessors, especially with all my bad dad jokes, we still manage to have a good time.
One of the most rewarding parts of the project is watching the students gain confidence. At the beginning of the class, many are hesitant to use the tools or worried about making a mistake. By the end, they are problem solving, helping one another, and proudly showing off their finished work. Seeing that transformation never gets old and is a great reminder of why programs like this matter.
When I first started teaching the project, I often heard, “My brother or sister built one of these.” Now, I am hearing more from parent helpers who say they remember doing this project themselves in 4th grade. By the end of the class, each student has completed a 4H project. While future 4H projects become more complex, it all really starts with the circuit board project.
During the class, we discuss different types of circuits, what an insulator is, and what a conductor is. We also teach proper tool usage and safety, along with how to read a simple diagram. These are skills that will be used not only in future 4H projects, but possibly later in life as well.
Now for one of my bad dad jokes for the month of March. I asked my niece when her birthday was, and when she said March 1st, I stood up and marched in place. Let’s just say she was not impressed.
If you ever get the chance to volunteer in a 4th grade classroom during the circuit board project, I would encourage you to sign up. While the jokes might be horrible, seeing the 4th graders’ faces light up when they flip the switch and turn on the lights makes it all worth it.