4-H Youth Development | UMES Extension

4-H STEM Youth Development

UMES Extension hosts 4-H STEM programs for youth on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, offering them a chance to learn through hands-on projects.

Our experienced team of specialists work with Eastern Shore schools and local organizations, among others, to equip young people with the skills to succeed in scientific careers.

In addition to creating STEM programs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, we encourage local organizations and schools to request any member of our team to deliver lessons at their events and in their classrooms.

What Is 4-H STEM

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension 4-H Youth Development program is a part of the Extension System of the United States Department of Agriculture and land-grant universities. The program is offered in partnership with the National 4-H Council.

Our 4-H STEM programs range from animal, plant and human sciences to robotics, engineering and computer technology. Through these programs, youth, ages 5-18, see first hand how they can make an impact locally and in the world through the wonders of science.

The programs spark youth imaginations and long-lasting passions for STEM to encourage their pursuit of science careers and become the next generation of scientists and knowledgeable workforce and consumers.

How We Can Help

In-school enrichment lessons
After-school program enrichment lessons
Workshops and 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, contact the person on our team who best matches your needs directly or contact Ariel Clay at amclay@umes.edu or 410-651-7256.

4-H STEM Mobile Lab

Our Signature Programs

From the annual STEM Expo to a new student internship program, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension 4-H team hosts several special programs each year for youth on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

STEM Expo

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension holds an annual 4-H STEM Expo on the campus in Princess Anne geared toward youth ages 5-18. The Expo shares educational opportunities and programs that the university and community partners have to offer. Contact: Brad Hartle at bhartle@umes.edu

STEM Research Internship Program — APPLY NOW

Lower Shore high school students are invited to apply now for a paid yearlong STEM Research Internship Program hosted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension 4-H STEM program. The 2026-27 program begins Sept. 29, 2026, with an online orientation and ends Aug. 15, 2027.

Interns will work with faculty members from the School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences to learn about current research projects at UMES and develop their own research project.

They will spend the fall with a variety of School faculty members experiencing a “sampler platter” of research currently being done at UMES. At each weekly meeting a different researcher will give tours of their labs, do hands-on sample activities, present their research projects, and give basic instruction in their scientific field. The purpose of this phase of the internship is to expose the interns to their potential mentors and what kind of science they practice.

During winter break, the interns will participate in an overnight retreat at UMES on Dec. 11-12 (room and board will be provided), and will have additional opportunities to explore the UMES campus. During the retreat, interns will select their mentors and decide what area their research topic will be in. Interns must form groups of at least two, and they may choose to work with a team of mentors instead of just one.

In the spring, the interns will continue to come to campus once a week to work with their mentor(s). During this phase, the interns will plan their research project and develop the skills that they will need in order to implement it.

A final project in the form of a formal written report, journal article draft, conference poster, or other appropriate summation of the research project and its findings must be submitted by Aug. 15, 2027.

Selected interns will receive $3,000 in monetary stipend and mileage reimbursement for travel to UMES.

Application deadline is Sept. 10, 2026 and decisions will be announced Sept. 21. Please submit this fillable form to apply.

For more information, please contact the UMES 4-H STEM Specialist Ariel Clay at amclay@umes.edu or 410-651-7256.

AgVenture

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s 4-H Extension teams hosts the annual AgVenture program, bringing hundreds of elementary school students to the university’s Research, Extension and Teaching Farm. The students take part in hands-on activities aimed at getting them excited about agriculture as a future career. Contact: Ariel Clay at amclay@umes.edu

Maryland Youth Institute World Food Prize

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore hosts the Maryland Youth Institute where high school participants engage with local leaders and agriculture experts on critical global challenges, and research an issue related to food security. Students who participate in the Maryland Youth Institute earn recognition as a Borlaug Scholar and become eligible to be invited as a student delegate to attend the Global Youth Institute held each October in Des Moines, Iowa. The institute is part of the World Food Prize Foundation. Contact Diamond Nwazae at dcnwazae@umes.edu or Theresa Maggio at temaggio1@umes.edu