Thanks to support from the Ohio 4-H Foundation’s grants program, every year 4-H professionals have the opportunity to apply for funding that supports exciting educational programs for youth.
In 2024, the Cloverbud Engineering Adventure encouraged teams to “go wild” as they used their engineering and problem-solving skills to identify a habitat that interested them and create it out of LEGO-type bricks. In addition to showcasing the various plants and animals that could be found in their chosen habitat, 
Cloverbuds were required to include a moving part in their habitat.
While creating their habitat, Cloverbuds were challenged to consider a few questions: What is a habitat? What resources do habitats provide for the plants and animals that live there? What habitats are present in Ohio? How are habitats different outside of Ohio? What types of biodiversity can be seen in different habitats?
After making their habitat model Cloverbuds put together posters detailing their work and presented their projects to an adult at one of the six showcases held around the state.
“Not only did the Cloverbuds create projects that were creative and thoughtful, but they also practiced their presentation skills. They 
gained valuable experience in discussing their projects with an adult without the help of their parents or an advisor,” said Christy Millhouse, state 4-H STEM educator and Cloverbud Design Team member.
The Cloverbud Engineering Adventure has seen tremendous growth since its inception in 2021. “We had 108 participants from 13 counties in 2021 and this year we had 450 participants from 32 counties. Some volunteers were so excited about the challenge that they convinced their 4-H educator to make their county a showcase site,” said Millhouse. “This kind of excitement makes us feel like we’re really being successful with our programming.”
This year, the Cloverbud Engineering Adventure is returning and will motivate youth to let their imaginations soar as they explore the science of flight. For more information about this year’s challenge, visit the 4-H Cloverbud Connections webpage.