4‑H Names Cassandra Ivie as the 2018 National 4‑H Youth in Action Winner

CHEVY CHASE, Md., March 21, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National 4-H Council today announced that Cassandra Ivie, 17, of West Jordan, Utah, was selected as the national winner of the 2018 National 'Youth In Action' Award. Ivie who also won the Youth in Action STEM Pillar Award, was honored at National 4‑H Council's Legacy Awards in Washington, D.C. As the national Youth in Action winner, Ivie will receive $10,000 in scholarships for higher education.

Ivie, a Utah 4-H State Ambassador, is the founder and creator of Incredible Machine, a curriculum that uses every day supplies to teach chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering to 4-H students in her community. "I teach every activity to countless groups of students, many who come from low income backgrounds in my area," says Ivie. "This is an excellent platform for learning. The students become passionate about STEM and learning becomes fun." Ivie received a $6500 grant to fund 10 Incredible Machine kits in rural areas.

Ivie joined 4-H in Kindergarten as a Clover Bud. As the middle child of six children, Ivie joined with an interest in photography and soon developed a love for robotics. Her family saw the benefit of 4-H and started a club with nearly 15 students.

"Cassandra is a shining example of how young people can create change in their communities when they are given the chance to lead," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president & CEO, National 4‑H Council. "Her commitment to lead and connect youth to STEM has made a tremendous impact on the lives of others."

Cassandra was selected as the national Youth in Action Award winner from a pool of three other recipients who were recognized as Youth in Action Awards in other pillar areas: Serena Woodard of Oklahoma (Agriculture pillar winner); Sophia Rodriguez of California (Healthy Living pillar winner); and KyraLee Harry of New York (Citizenship pillar winner).  

The 4-H Youth In Action Awards, sponsored in part by HughesNet, began in 2010 to recognize 4-H'ers who have overcome challenges and used the knowledge they gained in 4-H to create a lasting impact in their community. "Cassandra's dedication to serve others propelled her to being named this year's National 4-H Youth in Action winner," said Peter Gulla, senior vice president at Hughes. "Her enthusiasm for STEM education is infectious and we believe that as she continues to grow as a leader in her community, she will continue to inspire the next generation of leaders along the way." 

This award highlights youth in each of 4-H's core areas of Agriculture, Citizenship, Healthy Living and STEM. These four pillars represent the fields in which 4-H youth excel on a national level and align with the mission mandates of National 4-H Council.

To learn more about Youth In Action and to view the other pillar winners from around the country, please visit: www.4h.org

ABOUT 4-H
4-H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4-H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation's Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3,000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4-H at www.4-H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

ABOUT HUGHES NETWORK SYSTEMS
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in broadband satellite technology and services for home and office. Its flagship high-speed satellite Internet service is HughesNet^®, the world's largest satellite network with over 1.2 million residential and business customers across North and South America. For large enterprises and governments, the company's HughesON^® managed network services provide complete connectivity solutions employing an optimized mix of satellite and terrestrial technologies. The JUPITER™ System is the world's most widely deployed High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) platform, operating on more than 20 satellites by leading service providers, delivering a wide range of broadband enterprise, mobility and cellular backhaul applications. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 7 million terminals to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share, and its technology is powering broadband services to aircraft around the world.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com and follow @Hughes_Corp on Twitter.

About EchoStar
EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in secure communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.

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SOURCE National 4-H Council