DOWN ON THE FARM

After-school club opens up new worlds

4-H helps more than future farmers. Students involved in the after-school program do better in science, technology and engineering classes and are more likely to pursue careers in those fields, a Tufts University study found. 4-H was founded a century ago to bring scientific developments in farming to rural areas. But now about half of its 6 million members nationwide live in urban areas, studying alternative energy, robotics, engineering, computer technology and a variety of other subjects. 4-H is open to youths ages 5 to 19, and Hawaii has clubs statewide. Find out more at http://www.hsblinks.com/10f .

STILL PRETTY GOOD

Hawaii falls to second on health list

Hawaii has fallen from the top in ratings by the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System.

Hawaii ranked No. 1 two years ago in the commission's measurement of health care quality, access, efficiency and population health on the basis of 35 performance indicators. Vermont is now at the top, and Hawaii shares second place with Iowa. Mississippi is in last place.

SILVER LINING

The weather's awful, but on the other hand ......

Oahu's weather was undeniably miserable last week.

With no tradewinds, it was muggy, hazy, and seemed hotter than the actual temperature. But it seemed like fewer people than usual were complaining. Perhaps the truly horrendous weather elsewhere in our part of the world — in Samoa, the Philippines and Indonesia — provided some perspective.

We know it will cool down when the trades return. And uncomfortable heat and humidity are nothing compared to deadly tsunamis, landslides, floods and earthquakes.