June 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
June
- June 5: Fryeburg Market Lamb Intent Forms Due
- June 12-13: Hancock County June Jamboree
- June 14: Working Steer Tryouts at Windsor Fairgrounds
- June 13-14: UMASS Vet Science Academy Session 1
- June 15-16: UMASS Vet Science Academy Session 2
- June 15: Deadline to enter Sea Dogs ticket raffle
July-August
- July 6 – 27, Mondays: To the Moon SPIN Club at the Topsham Library
- July 8 – July 29, Wednesdays: Adulting 101 Workshops
- July 8 – August 12, Wedesdays: Invent-A-Bot SPIN Club at the Lisbon Library
- July 11: Working Steer Tryouts at Ossipee Fair
- August 5: Topsham Fair exhibits due
- August 13: Working Steer Tryouts at Skowhegan Fair
County News
Topsham Fair – Exhibit Updates
4-H member exhibits will be accepted at the Extension office (24 Main Street, Lisbon Falls) starting July 20th. Exhibits are due August 5th. More details and updated fair book will be emailed to all enrolled youth as soon as it is finalized.
Invent-A-Bot: Lisbon Library SPIN Club
4-H at Topsham Library: To The Moon!
Middle school age youth: Explore what it take to live and work as a team during space missions! Through hands-on engineering challenges practice problem solving, communicating under pressure, and successfully landing on the moon. Sessions will be on Mondays in July starting the 6th at 10:30am. Sessions are free, space is limited. Registration required by contacting the Topsham Library.
Level Up: Adulting 101
Teens: Adulting 101 is back with the Summer Learning Series!
Ready Player One? Hit start and power up your Adulting skills as we venture through the realms of the adult world: careers, cash, cars, and connecting! Each week, participants will unlock new skills and build confidence as they prepare for the world ahead of them.
Sessions will be 3:30-5:00 PM on Wednesdays, July 8 – July 29 over Zoom.
For ages 12+ and up. Free, registration required on the 4-H Learning Series page.
Club News
Midcoast Mainers – Sabattus Community Garden
The kids volunteered at the Sabattus Community Garden with Kelli Gilzow Stowell to help accomplish some to-do list tasks. Many hands make light work, and the garden was one step closer to planting after they left!
State News
Fryeburg Market Lamb Intent Forms Due June 5, 2026
Intent forms for Fryeburg Fair market lambs are now available online. Market Lambs must be owned and in possession of 4-H’er by June 1, 2026, and must be a castrated male. In order to be eligible for participation, 4-H members must meet the following requirements: Send Intent to Sell Form, original bill of sale/value of lamb statement, and pictures of your animal (front and side view) to your county office by June 5th.
Animal approval forms for lambs must include the scrapie tag number and list “Fryeburg Sale” as the show class.
Additional requirements as well as the fillable online form can be found online on our Fryeburg Fair information page.
For more information please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971; sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or the State 4-H Office at 207.581.3877.
Register Now for the 2026 4-H Summer Learning Series
Registration is now open for this year’s 4-H Summer Learning Series, our largest offering of virtual programming, and will open to the general public on June 5, 2026. Workshops will cover a range of topics – favorites like Adulting 101 and Dissect and Detect, as well as loads of new areas: Intro to Game Lab, Mission to Mars, and all sorts of other topics. Workshops will run from July 6 to August 7, 2026. Find out more on the 4-H Summer Learning website.
The Alfond Grant
Hey there! Do you have a child or grandchild born in Maine on or after January 1, 2013? Guess what? They’ve got something special called a $500 Alfond Grant waiting for them! (The Grant was also available on a more limited basis from 2008 to 2012).
The Alfond Grant is a jumpstart for a child’s education after high school. By the time they graduate high school, their Alfond Grant could be worth up to $2,000!
The great part is that the Alfond Grant can be used for all sorts of education, such as college, trade school, or even certificates. And it can be used in Maine as well as outside the state.
Curious to know more? Check out the Alfond Grant website to get all the details. This grant is just the beginning of exciting possibilities for your child’s future education!
Sea Dogs for 4-H
The Maine 4-H Foundation has purchased a group of Sea Dogs tickets for Cooper Flagg Bobble Head night on Wed, Aug 12, 2026, at 6:00 PM. They will be given away in pairs through a raffle. If you are a 4-H member, or young person involved with our camp and learning centers, or online 4-H virtual learning, and want to put your name in for the drawing, please email Julie Hart at julie@themagiclantern.org. Please provide your name and contact information in the email.
Please submit your name by June 15th. We will hold the drawing on June 17th, and then tickets will be mailed to the winners.
Animal Science Challenge
The Maine 4-H Foundation is offering a challenge to 4-H animal science committees and programs. The Foundation will match up to $3,000 per committee to support animal science programs and educational programs. A 1 to 1 match will be made for current and past donors, and 1:2 matches for new donors. Questions can be asked by contacting Susan Jennings at 207.615.7300, or email maine4hfoundation@gmail.com.
4-H Working Steer Tryout Information
The show season is fast approaching! Working steer ESE intent forms (due May 1st), volunteer interest forms, team member guidelines, and apprentice guidelines are all available one at the UMaine 4-H Website. The dates for team tryouts are listed below.
ESE Working Steer Tryouts:
- June 14, 2026 at Windsor Fairgrounds
- July 11, 2026, Ossipee Valley Fair
- August 13, 2026, Skowhegan Fair
If you have any questions, please contact Hillary Arsenault, ESE coordinator, at maineworkingsteer@gmail.com; 207.592.3320 or Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971
Hancock County June Jamboree
June Jamboree is back for another exciting weekend, and you’re invited! The 2026 June Jamboree will be held on June 12-13 at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds in Hancock County. 4-Hers can plan to camp with us on the fairgrounds on the 12th, and wake ready to participate in fun-filled workshops and activities on the 13th! Workshops will include hands-on crafts, engineering, and animal science. The “Anytime Science” and “Anytime Craft” tables will run between workshops all day on Saturday, June 13 – be sure to stop by to explore! Registration will open to enrolled 4-H members on May 11th. Workshops are first-come, first-served, so don’t delay! The public may begin registering on May 18th. Registration closes June 6th, so don’t forget to sign up!
New 4-H Rabbit and Poultry Opportunity!
4-H members now have an exciting new opportunity to showcase their skills at The Big E’s first 4-H Rabbit & Poultry Show! Open to youth ages 12 and above, this event is a great way to learn new skills, compete in regional 4-H shows, and connect with others who share an interest in rabbits and poultry.
Participants can look forward to a variety of engaging activities, including breed shows, showmanship competitions, agility contests, and more. Whether you’re experienced or just getting started, this event offers something for everyone. Interested in participating or learning more? Be sure to complete the interest form.
For more information please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.
National Index Survey 2026- Help us reach our goal of 141!
Maine is once again taking part in the National 4-H index study, be on the look out for an email from Dr. Kristy Ouellette. This email will have parent information and the link for youth to participate. This survey will take you about 5-8 minutes and will help Maine 4-H and the national 4-H program better understand your experiences. We are hoping to reach 141 Maine youth between the ages of 13-1l! This email will be sent via email to parent/guardians of all age-eligible youth in June. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kristy via email. She can be reached at kristy.ouellette@maine.edu
June 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!
Developmental Relationships
What are Developmental Relationships? These are positive connections between youth and caring adults that provide a foundation for growth, fostering trust, warmth, and mutual respect. The caring, consistent connections that you engage in with 4-H members help youth grow. By building a relationship of trust, such relationships can give young people the encouragement and guidance they need to succeed. In essence, developmental relationships are the nurturing connection that helps youth in 4-H programs navigate their experiences and develop into well-rounded, purposeful individuals.
When we observe a developmental relationship we see
- active engagement and trust,
- balanced power dynamics and
- intentional connection.
Developmental relationships sound like
- words of encouragement,
- praise for effort and achievements, and
- expressions that the person feels known, valued, and enjoyed.
4-H Volunteer Summit
Saturday, November 7, 2026
We hope this is where you will plan to be! We have an amazing line up for the day with engaging workshops, a Discovery Zone, a 4-H Pop Up Shop and more! Save the date, check out the 4-H Volunteer Summit webpage and look for registration to open soon!
Resource Spotlight
Does your 4-H club have officers and run a short business meeting? If so, check out this Parliamentary Procedure resource from the University of Illinois Extension. Super simple to understand, it will provide guidance on how to run a business meeting that is orderly and efficient. The rules are designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to participate, be heard and help the group reach decisions. If you are looking for some activities to help teach parliamentary procedure to young people, try this Parliamentary Procedure Activities Resource from Michigan State University. Let us know if you try one out- we’d love to hear how it went!