March 2026: Androscoggin-Sagadahoc Counties 4-H Newsletter
Androscoggin-Sagadahoc County 4-H Newsletter
Dates to Remember | County News | Club News |State News | 4-H Volunteer Corner
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Dates to Remember
March 2026:
- March 6: 4-H Volunteer Huddle: Prepare for the Fair
- March 7: Western/Central Public Speaking Event
- March 7: Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl
- March 17, 3:00 – 4:00 P.M.: Wild About… Maine Blueberries!
- March 25, 8:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.: 4-H Page Day in Augusta
- March 25-29: Maine Science Festival
- March 28, 9:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M.: Central Maine School Garden Educators Symposium
- March 30: Last day to register for Dive Into the UMaine Touch Tank virtual workshop
April & May 2026:
- April 17: Maine 4-H Sheep ESE Intent to Participate Form due
- May 1: Equine ESE intent forms due
County News
Love all things blueberry?
A few spots are still open in Wild About… Maine Blueberries at the 4-H office. Find details and registration info on the event’s webpage.
Club News
Midcoast Mainers
We would like to thank the Topsham Skijoring event for allowing us to offer a bake good and beverage fundraising booth! It was a very successful event, despite the snow and cold.
State News
Maine Science Festival
The Maine Science Festival will be held March 25-29 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. This FREE event includes a Field Trip Day for 7th- 8th graders, a Teen Tech Night, and Exploration Stations that include demonstrations and hands-on activities involving the sciences. Be sure to put it on your calendar because it really is a fun event! For more information on the Maine Science Festival please go to the website.
It’s Time to Think About Summer Camp!
Looking to take your Maine 4-H Experience to a new level? Check out the summer programs at your UMaine 4-H Camps! Opportunities for living in community, making new friends, building a sense of belonging, and honing your skills in a whole variety of program options such as, outdoor skills, shooting sports, STEM, creative arts, ecology, gardening, team work, and teen leadership. Each camp has scholarship opportunities to off-set tuition costs AND your County 4-H Programs have scholarships to attend camp too. One to three-week sessions available in both day and overnight settings. We hope to see you there!
• Blueberry Cove, Tenants Harbor in Knox County. Dates: June 21-August 14, 2026.
• Bryant Pond, Bryant Pond in Oxford County. Dates: June 21-August 14, 2026.
• Greenland Point, Princeton in Washington County. Dates: June 28-July 31, 2026.
• Tanglewood, Lincolnville in Waldo County. Dates: June 21-August 21, 2026.
Bryant Pond and Greenland Point contact, Bethany: 207.665.2068
Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove contact, Emma: 207.789.5868
Equine ESE Intent Forms Due May 1, 2026
The 2026 Eastern States (ESE) Horse Intent Form is now live and online. The form is to indicate your interest in participating in the Eastern States Team Tryout event this summer, which will be on July 31- Aug 1st, 2026, at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds.
The event this year will offer an overnight opportunity for youth to qualify and to learn and grow while getting to know other youth who are also interested in trying out. Youth can participate in one of the tracks below:
• Teen Leader (4-H age 12 and up)
• Rider or Driver (4-H age 13 and up)
• Groom track (which is a learning track only)
If youth would like to come and learn about the team, help, and observe (especially if they aren’t old enough to qualify for the team yet), they can also come to tryouts as a “Groom” and will need to fill out the intent form.
Youth interested in any of the track options need to fill out the intent form. We use this info to contact and update interested families and youth.
Here is the ESE intent form to be filled out by May 1st. Approval forms must also be filled out and sent to your county office by May 1st as well.
More details will be included in the tryout application packet on the UMaine 4-H Horse Website.
The intent form does not bind you to the tryout event. Applications will be used to determine the event roster and final schedule.
If you have any questions, please reach out to: Tara Marble, tara.marble@maine.edu, or
207.778.4650.
4-H Page Day in Augusta – Sign up Now!
Date: March 25, 2026
Where: Augusta, Maine – State Legislature
Time: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Registration Deadline: March 14, 2026 – First come, first serve
Registered 4-Hers age 13 or older are encouraged to serve as Honorary Pages in the Maine House or the Senate on Youth Agriculture Policy Day, March 25th, 2026. The Maine 4-H program has up to 20 slots for Honorary Pages and registration is first come, first serve with a registration deadline of Saturday, March 14.
For more information and details about what a page does, please visit the event page. If you’re interested in participating, register now! Reach out to Karen Giles with any questions.
Early College Outdoor Intensives
The UMaine 4-H Camps and Learning Centers at Tanglewood and Greenland Point are each offering Early College programs in conjunction with the University of Maine Division of Lifelong Learning. KPE 265 is a 3-credit course focused on skills in outdoor recreation. This is an introductory course in outdoor and adventure activities, forming the foundation of an outdoor leadership education. The course focuses primarily on participation in four different activity categories: canoeing; bouldering and climbing; hiking and orienteering; and challenge course. KPE 207 is a 1-credit course where participants become certified in wilderness first aid (WFA) and CPR.
Registration: Participants must complete enrollment with the University of Maine Early College Program. Once that is completed we will send you an invitation to enroll for the Tanglewood portion of the program.
UMaine tuition for this course is free for Maine high school students (public school & homeschoolers). Tuition for out-of-state students and Maine private school students is $149 for 2026 per credit for a total fee of $596 for 2026. (Please note there is an overnight fee for this course for all participants).
Overnight fees: $900, including all housing, meals, and certification fees, scholarships available.
Tanglewood:
Dates: July 19 – 31, 2026
Ages: 15 – 18
Visit the website for more information and registration links.
Email Tanglewood directly with any questions.
Greenland Point
Dates: August 2 – 12, 2026
Ages: 16 – 18
Visit the website for more information and registration links.
Email Greenland Point directly with any questions.
4-H Public Speaking Update
You asked, we’re excited! Performing Arts demonstrations will now be part of Speak Up, Maine 4-H the statewide Public Speaking Program.
From dramatic monologues to musical performances, this creative category is your time to express yourself and share your spark center stage.
Performing Arts demonstrations include:
– a spoken introduction
– your performance
– and a spoken conclusion
Specific details, including updated evaluation tools and judges’ support for all categories, are now available on the Speak Up, Maine 4-H website and through county staff.
Maine 4-H Ag Ambassadors – Spring 2026
Maine 4-H is now accepting registrations for the spring 2026 Agriculture Ambassadors cohort! The program is designed for youth ages 14-18 who are interested in any aspect of agriculture. Youth spend time getting to know each other and learn both online and in-person in sessions facilitated by UMaine 4-H Staff and community partners. Sessions will focus on career exploration, exploring the Maine Food System with farm and production visits around the state, and building relationships with industry professionals.
This season we will visit local Maine Ag businesses like Libby Maple, Yeti Ridge Farm and more. Transportation assistance for these events may be available upon request.
In addition to the multi-week session, youth will serve in their ambassador role with Maine 4-H for at least 1 year. Youth will pick an agricultural area to focus on (ex. livestock, ag literacy/food systems, environmental stewardship, ag and health) during their term and explore leadership opportunities locally, statewide, and even nationally. Register today!
Spring 2026 Dates:
Online: March 11, March 18, April 1, April 8, and April 15
In-Person: March 21
Ag Policy Day at the State House: March 25 (optional)
Maine Agriculture Symposium at the University of Maine: April 19-21 (two nights), we try to offer transportation as best we can.
To register visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/youth/ag-leadership. For more information or a reasonable accommodation, please contact Alisha Targonski at alisha.targonski@maine.edu or 207.622.7546.
Dive Into the UMaine Touch Tank (Virtually!)
Ages: 8-13
Dates/Time: This workshop will meet Monday April 13th, Wednesday April 15th, and Friday April 17th from 4:00-5:00 pm
Registration Deadline: March 30, 2026
Capacity: Limited to 8 youth
Central Maine School Garden Educators Symposium
Saturday, March 28, 2026 9:00 AM
Theme: Birds, Bugs and Bloomscollage: monarch caterpillar on green plant, youth working on nature journals, overview of a bee on pink flowers
Join fellow educators for a hands-on, idea-filled day focused on connecting students to birds, beneficial insects, and flowering plants through school gardens. The symposium features rotating bird-focused learning stations, practical seed-saving activities with students, and a lively lightning round of mini-sessions on cooking, bog gardens, garden clubs, and collaborative art. Afternoon sessions highlight pollinator protection, embracing insects in the garden, and a facilitated discussion on fundraising and volunteer engagement, followed by a creative flower dissection activity. The day wraps up with door prizes and a seed giveaway.
When: March 28, 2026 (snow date March 29, 2026, same time)
Time: 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Location: Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Avenue, Bangor, Maine 04401
Cost:$0, $25, $50 Select a payment option that best works for you.
Total amount of attendees: 45
Registration is required to attend. Please contact Kate Garland (katherine.garland@maine.edu) to be added to a waitlist if registration is full. Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and rejuvenate your passion for garden education! Bring a bagged lunch; snacks and coffee provided.
Maine 4-H Sheep ESE Intent to Participate Form Now Available
The 2026 Maine 4-H Sheep ESE Intent to Participate Form is now available online and must be submitted by April 17th, 2026. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the Maine 4-H Sheep Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September (including teen leads).
The Eastern States Exhibition (Big E) 4-H Sheep Program brings together 4-H members from six states in Springfield, MA for three days of events that showcase their animals, knowledge and skills. Members must be 12-18 years old as of December 31, 2025 and have completed at least one year in a sheep project.
Please contact Megan Cook with any questions or for more information at megan.cook@maine.edu or 207-532-6548.
Link to 4-H Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise Micro-credential webpage.
Students progressing along the micro-credential pathway will earn and receive a digital badge at each milestone they achieve. There are three digital badge levels of knowledge and skills on the pathway that must be completed before proceeding to the next level. The 4-H Maple Sugaring 101 virtual program will prepare students for the Level 1 digital badge.
To learn more or to sign up for the pathway, please email andrew.hudacs@maine.edu or by phone, 207.581.8204.
March 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!
As a 4-H volunteer, you can incorporate simple actions to build belonging. Try out some of these ideas the next time you are working with club members or a group of youth:
- Know each young person’s name and call them by it.
“Hi, Maria! Glad you’re here today!” - Use icebreakers and team-building activities.
These short activities spark fun, help youth learn about each other, and build early connections. - Create safe spaces, including a shared set of ground rules.
At the beginning of the year, ask the group: “What do we need to agree on so everyone feels respected and comfortable here?” Write down their ideas (like listening when others speak, no put-downs, etc.) and post the “Club Agreements” on the wall each meeting. - Encourage engagement.
Rotate leadership roles each meeting—timekeeper, snack helper, or discussion leader—so every youth has a chance to contribute and feel ownership. - Utilize discussions to help youth learn from one another.
After a project activity, ask open-ended questions like, “What worked well in your group? What was challenging? What would you try differently next time?” Then have youth share with a partner or small group before bringing answers back to the whole club. - Cultivate shared experiences.
Plan a simple community service project, like making thank-you cards for local first responders, where all members contribute to a common goal. Celebrate afterward with group photos and a reflection about what they accomplished together.
4-H Volunteer Huddle: Join us for a short “gather and learn session” to help you up your game. We meet on the first Friday of each month from 12:00-12:30 pm via Zoom. Whether you are an experienced 4-H volunteer or just getting started, there’s something for everyone. We’d love to see you there! No registration required!
March 6, 2026- Prepare for the Fair
This 4-H volunteer information session will highlight how mentors can guide youth in preparing their animals and themselves for a successful fair experience. Volunteers will learn ways to support members with showmanship skills, animal care, and confidence in the show ring.
April 3, 2026- Doing to Understanding: Applying Experiential Learning in 4-H Clubs Learn how to guide youth through hands-on experiences followed by purposeful reflection, helping them build confidence, critical thinking, and leadership skills.
Please note: The Zoom link and password will be emailed to all enrolled 4-H volunteers, or you can email Tara Wood tara.a.wood@maine.edu to request it.
4-H Volunteer Connections- Moving into a New Era of Leadership with Teens
March 18, 2026 6:30 – 8:00p.m.
In this session, you will learn how to partner with teen leaders to support the 4-H agenda. We’ll explore strategies for collaboration and share real-world examples from Maryland and D.C. 4-H programs. Register here!
Mark your calendars and save the date! Saturday, November 7th! The Maine 4-H Volunteer Summit- More details to come in the upcoming months, but we promise food, fun, connection, and learning! You won’t want to miss it!