Making History – 4-H Alumna Peggy Whitson

NASA astronaut Dr. Peggy Whitson embarked on her third mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in mid-November. Peggy grew up on a farm in Iowa, and was an active 4-H member. In a recent video produced by NASA and shown on PBS American Graduate Day, Peggy talked about the importance of 4-H in her life and today in the lives of millions of youth; see the interview at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYWk9v0jKYc .

Peggy has made NASA and space history during her career:

  • With her third launch into space for the Expedition 50/51 ISS mission, Peggy
    • became the oldest woman in space. She celebrated her 57th birthday aboard the ISS.
    • became the first woman to command the ISS twice on April 9, 2017.
    • she seized the record for most spacewalks by a female in March of 2017
    • surpassed Jeff Williams’ record of 534 days, 2 hours and 48 minutes of cumulative time in space. When she returns to Earth, she’ll have spent more than 650 days in space
  • In her first mission, Expedition 5/6 in 2002, she was named NASA’s first Science Officer.
  • In her second mission in 2007-08, she became the first woman to command the ISS for Expedition 16.
  • After returning from Expedition 16, she became the first woman appointed as chief of the NASA Astronaut Office.
  • During her first two missions, Peggy performed six spacewalks, totaling 39 hours and 46 minutes.

While Peggy is in space, NASA and 4-H will release a series of learning activities about how NASA prepares crews to live together in space and how youth can develop these skills for their personal lives and future education and careers. The project will be announced in December 2016 and will become available online in monthly installments on the NASA and NIFA 4-H web sites during January – April 2017.



 

Please help us preserve 4-H History . . .



History Preservation Newsletter
April 2017

In 1969 National 4-H Week launched a year of Learning to Serve. Learning to Serve through 4-H is older than the pledge itself. This month our newsletter explores 4-H Service at several junctures in 4-H History. If you’re interested in seeing other vintage 4-H Posters you can view them at: https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/exhibits/show/poster-collections/elsie-carper-collection-on-ext



4-H Service in World War I

Members and Leaders joined the national movement to support of the war effort: raising and preserving food, recycling clothing, raising money for special support projects.


National 4-H Day of Service

April 2017 has been dedicated as a month to celebrate community service and service-learning throughout 4-H. The month of celebration will culminate with a National 4-H Day of Service on Saturday, April 29. 4-H’ers will undertake club, community and state service projects as part of the “True Leaders in Service” initiative in honor of National Volunteer Appreciation Month.




Contemporary 4-H History: A Health Summit

250 4-H’ers recently met at the to analyze data about the health of their communities. The 4-H Geospatial Leadership Team helped others access the data and interpret the findings, comparing the health of their communities with that of others in the state, and pinpointing gaps in health care.


“4-H History 101” Aims to Launch this Fall

A new online course is being developed by the 4-H History Preservation Leadership Team to help orient new staff about the philosophical base of 4-H. It includes a working definition of the public/private partnership which undergird the program at local, state and national levels. If you’d like to help write or serve as a reviewer, write to info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com


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How Old is the 4-H Flag?

We know the National 4-H Supply Service (4-H Mall) marketed 4-H flags in 1925, the year it started. Do you know of any 4-H flag older than that? Let us know.


4-H in Space: Then and Now

An Indiana 4-H’er designed a scientific experiment with chicken embryos to be carried into space on the 1986 Challenger mission, but it was lost in the explosion. Redesigned, “Chix in Space” went up in 1989 and was the forerunner of continuing worldwide embryonic research in space by NASA. And this week, 4-H alumna Peggy Whitson sets new records as commander of the current NASA mission.



Here on Earth, enjoy the spring-time and this issue!


 

Please help us preserve 4-H History . . .