On November 3rd, Adafruit Engineer Mike Barela presented at the National 4-H Youth Maker Summit in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Students in 9-12th grade came from 16 US states to attend a 4 day curriculum focused on STEM and Making.

Mike gave two presentations on  Modern Electronics in STEM Education, which featured the Adafruit Circuit Playground Express. The Express offers a wealth of capabilities and sensors on one small board 2″ round. Discussion included Microsoft MakeCode, CircuitPython, and resources in the Adafruit Learning System.

In the afternoon, Dr. Jennifer Robertson-Honecker guided students in using the Circuit Playground Express and the 4-H Clover Kit to monitor soil moisture, programmed in MakeCode. The curriculum is based on an Adafruit Learning System guide.

Adafruit welcomes working with 4-H groups looking to incorporate Circuit Playground Express and other electronics into student curriculums.

4-H groups can buy the Circuit Playground Express base kit direct from the 4-H shop or via the Adafruit online store.