In an age of global warming and rapidly evaporating lakes, four Reno and Sparks kids are trying their hands at finding a solution.

As part of the 4-H youth science day, being held today at 4 p.m. at the Matthewson Knowledge Center at the University of Nevada, Reno, these four kids are ready to showcase the effects of hydrogen in water conservation efforts and most of them aren’t even in high school yet.

The nationwide experiment is open to all interested kids, said Sarah Chvilicek, the 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator.

“4-H wants at least one million youth to try this (same) experiment (today),” Chvilick said, explaining that she has been preparing and working with the kids extensively before their big experiment day. “If they get into the smallest part of science now, then that’s great.”

The idea behind the goal of one million young scientists, Chvilick said, is that 4-H wants to be able to attract at least that many to science, engineering and technology programs by the year 2013.

“We wanted kids of several different kinds of after-school programs,” Chvilick said about picking students to practice and eventually participate in the experiment. “We wanted more females, too (since they are underrepresented in the sciences).”

The experiment, which deals directly with water conservation efforts, tests hydrogen’s ability to help contain and absorb water in potted plants. Hydrogels, superabsorbent polymers, are a key test variable in the two experiments being performed today and all experiments are performed by the students themselves.

Sabrina Cevasky, an eighth grader at Traner Middle School and one of the youth scientists, is excited to see how the science from the experiment can apply in today’s environmental efforts.

“It’s fun just to see how we can help the environment,” Cevasky said. “We need to start realizing that if don’t start, no one will.”

Together, all four local kids will add, mix and measure to better understand and recognize the need for water conservation.

“We always want the kids to ask ‘Where’s the application in this?’” Chvilicek said. “We need to get these young people thinking about their futures. It’s always about do, reflect, apply.”

And the experiment bug seems to be catching.

“I like doing experiments,” said Tenaya James, a seventh grader at Mendive Middle School. “I really like seeing how things work.”

Cristal Rosales-Vega agreed with James, adding that she likes getting her hands a little dirty in the name of science.

“I enjoyed making the big, gushy glob (of water and hydrogen),” Rosales-Vega said. “I like making something.”

For more information about the 4-H program, visit www.4-H.org.