Our Youth. Our Nation’s Future
4-H Youth Development
Our team of 4-H agents and specialists are committed to providing high-quality positive youth development opportunities around STEM topics to the youth of the Lower and Eastern Shore of Maryland.
In addition to creating STEM programs at UMES, we encourage community organizations and schools to request help from any member of our team to deliver lessons at their events and classrooms. We can offer help in the following ways:
- In-school enrichment lessons
- Afterschool program enrichment lessons
- Workshops & short-term experiences (ex: day camps)
- Professional development for educators and teen counselors
- STEM curriculum training for educators
- Consultations on new program designs
- Support for program evaluations and research projects
- Equipment, curriculum booklets, and other resources
To request help from our staff, simply contact the person below who best matches your needs. If you are unsure who is the best match, please contact Ariel Clay at amclay@umes.edu or 410-651-6724 and she will be happy to advise you.
Somerset students explore STEM opportunities
UMES Associate Professor Dr. William Weaver talks to Somerset Intermediate School students about rockets and symmetry during their visit to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. More than 25 students toured the campus and took part in STEM learning opportunities during the visit hosted by UMES Extension 4-H. (Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)
Ariel Clay
Specialties & Ready-to-Go Lessons:
Educator Development
- 4-H Staff
- Youth-Serving Volunteers
- School Teachers
- Afterschool Program Staff
- Teens-as-Teachers
Curriculum Development
Curriculum Development
Program Design & Evaluation
Program Design & Evaluation
Animal & Avian Science
- ChickQuest
- Avian Science Bowl
Brad Hartle
Specialties & Ready-to-Go Lessons:
Marine Science
- Squid Anatomy (Dissection)
- Shark Biology
- Fish Adaptation
- Turtle Hurdles – Project Wild Aquatic
- Water Chemistry
- Chesapeake Bay Watershed
- Schooling Fish Sticks
Climate Science
- Weather vs Climate
- Sea Level Rise
- Solar Energy
- Hydrologic Cycle
Conservation
- Oh Deer – Project Wild
- Esmeralda’s Island
- Plants of the Forest
Soil Investigations
- Soil Chemistry
- Soil Texture
- Soil Porosity & Permeability
Physics
- Power of the Wind
- Rockets to the Rescue
- Density Divers
Engineering Challenges
- Strawbridge Challenge
- Ecobots Challenge
- Penny Boat Challenge
Navigation
- GPS Clue
- Orienteering
Miscellaneous Lessons
- Fossil Hunt/Archeology Dig
- Edible Entomology
- Owl Pellet Dissection
- Strawberry DNA Extraction
- Fingerprinting
- Cool It – Lizard Thermoregulation
- Animal Olympics
- Nocturnal Adaptations
- Butter Making (Changes of Matter)
Email: bhartle@umes.edu
Phone: 410-651-6729
Jeremiah Mowen
Specialties & Ready-to-Go Lessons:
Robotics
- LEGO WeDos
- VEX
- Mindstorms
- FTC
Rocketry
- Water Bottle Rocket Launchers
- Water Pressure Rockets
- Stomp Rockets
Coding/Programming
- Scratch
Engineering
- Spoon Catapult
Forestry
Forestry
Junior Master Gardener
- Plant Press
- Soil Ball Competition
- Vermicomposting
- Paper Pot Making
Email: jlmowen@umes.edu
Phone: 410-422-3005
Diamond Nwaeze
Specialties & Ready-to-Go Lessons:
College & Career Readiness
- Building the Framework: Searching for Scholarships
- Etiquette & You
- Navigating Pre-College Programs
- Majors & Areas of Study: What is best for you?
Nutrition Science
Nutrition Science
Agriculture & Community Gardening
- Creation of a Vegetable Crop
- Teatime in the Garden!
- Not Just Seeds!
- Closing Up Shop: How to prep your garden for next spring
Email: dcnwaeze@umes.edu
Phone: 410-651-6724
UMES STEM Festival 2024
Budding scientists in grades K-12 on the Eastern Shore got hands-on experience of how science works at the UMES STEM Festival, held Oct. 19 on the campus of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
