Matt Hall, managing member at HMH Engineering, presented a $20,000 check to 4-H Associate Extension Educator Teresa Balderrama Wednesday morning at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds inside a bus belonging to the 4-H STEM program. 

The funds will kick-start a new 4-H STEM program that will transform the bus into a portable STEM classroom.

“The whole idea is to bring education to kids out in the community and make 4-H a little more accessible,” Balderrama said.

Unlike the traditional 4-H program, 4-H STEM is structured around separate, one-off classes and activities. Membership costs $40 for one year, and kids can participate in as many or as few classes as they want. Classes normally take place after school Wednesdays, and the program is open to all youth in Kootenai and surrounding counties.

The 4-H STEM bus will travel to schools around North Idaho for STEM nights and make pop-up appearances at a range of community events, such as Art on the Green. On board, kids will do low-tech STEM activities, such as building structures with a range of materials.

“The idea is getting kids to think about engineering,” Balderrama said. “Getting to where they start thinking about careers.”

HMH Engineering views its sponsorship of the 4-H STEM bus as an investment in the community, inspiring potential engineers and critical thinkers of the future.

“We’ve been involved in 4-H since my kids were doing it,” Hall said. “As a company, we are strong supporters of 4-H.”

The $20,000 will go toward decorating, equipping and operating the 4-H STEM bus. HMH Engineering is working with Bartman Signs to develop the bus’s vinyl wrap with a purple, space-inspired design. Hall expects the bus to be finished and ready to welcome kids within a month. Balderrama will drive the bus and is in the process of earning her commercial driver’s license.

As the project moves forward, the 4-H STEM bus welcomes support from local organizations and businesses that wish to sponsor the STEM education program. If interested, email Teresa Balderrama at [email protected].

To enroll in 4-H STEM, visit 4H.ZSuite.org and click on “Sign Up.” 

    HMH Engineering Marketing Manager Alyssa Blank, Managing Member Matt Hall, and Business manager Malinda Becker present a $20,000 check to 4-H Educator Teresa Balderrama at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds Wednesday morning.