Our team of professionals from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H program is creating a program to provide agricultural education and leadership experiences to Maine youth ages 13-18. Youth involved in this program will have opportunities to pursue their interest in agriculture and explore career pathways. This includes mentoring in post-secondary opportunities, as well as sparking a passion to investigate and explore current issues around food systems, livestock, crop sciences, aquaculture, climate issues impacting food systems, food equity, and more. There is no requirement to have previous 4-H membership, this program is open to all Maine youth with an interest.
These opportunities will begin with a creation of an online learning community cohort and will also include in-person experiences on the UMaine Campus. This program will provide youth with an opportunity to connect to local agriculture and identify their role in the Maine Food System.
Topics covered in this program include:
- Exploring participant’s skill sets and areas of interest within agriculture
- Discovering opportunities for careers in agriculture
- Building relationships with industry professionals
- Investigating local Food Systems
