4-H Newsletter January 2020
Dates to Remember
January 20: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – office closed
January 22: Leader’s Meeting 6 p.m. -7 p.m. (Zoom meeting)
January 31: Deadline to sign up for 4-H Page Day in Augusta
February 1: Deadline to submit the intent to participate for Maine 4-H Horse Team
February 8: Public Speaking Workshop
March 14: Public Speaking County Tournament
April 1: 4-H enrollment forms due for new members
April 1: Horse Livestock Approval Forms due if participating in Eastern States
June 30: Livestock Approval Forms due
Happy Birthday to all 4-Her’s born in January!
Alyssa N
Angelina N
Ella S
Emelia C
Julia P
Krayton H
Morgan H
Happy New Year Aroostook County!
Welcome to 2020! We wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!
County News January Spotlight: Madison B.
Maddie B. is an Aroostook County 4-H member who is active in one of the local horse clubs. She has been riding since she was six years old and was recently accepted into the 2020 Winter Intensive Training Program (WIT). This program accepts approximately 14 riders from across the United States annually and is an opportunity to participate in extensive training for both horse and rider. It also focuses on horse care, training theory and competition skills. In addition, Maddie told us that the training will include lessons from two-time Olympian, Lendon Gray, lectures from equine professionals, and the chance to visit stables to attend clinics!
Congratulations, Maddie! This is a wonderful accomplishment. We are sure you will gain so much knowledge in this three month, six days a week, intensive program.
Maddie’s goal: My goal is to become a better dressage rider, school my horse in training level dressage, and excel overall as a rider.
Percy the STEM Piglet!
You may have seen Percy on social media recently, but if not we would like to introduce you!
Percy is joining us at the Cooperative Extension office as our new mascot and STEM ‘Craft-ivity’ Piglet. He loves being able to test out activities and fun science explorations and has even taken some time to help out in the office decorating for the holidays!
If you would like Percy to make an appearance in a classroom or club event, just reach out and let us know! Percy loves to make surprise appearances!
CHOICES Afterschool Program, December 11
Oh what fun it was to cut and tape paper… for the Paper Chain Challenge!
Participants at the December 11th CHOICES Afterschool Program had fifteen minutes to create the strongest and longest paper chain they could! This fast paced event had the children rushing to piece together as many strips as possible and to learn why some chains were longer or stronger than others!
Paca Pals – December meeting
The ‘Paca Pals nominated members for their January election during their December meeting. They also had a fun time creating two Christmas crafts; a snowman bulb and a painted wooden cutout ornament! Thank you Judi Howard for the club update, we love sharing what our Aroostook County members are up to!
The ‘Paca Pals also went caroling at Madigan Estates sharing good tidings and cheer!
Can you spot Percy hiding in the ‘Paca Pals group photo!?
State 4-H News
January 2020
Save the Date for 2020 Maine 4-H Days
- Maine 4-H Days will take place July 16 – 19, 2020 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. If you are interested in helping to plan next year’s event, please contact Jessy Brainerd at brainerd@maine.edu or 207.581.3877.
- 4-H Science Saturdays are Returning in 2020!
Thanks to the generous support of the Maine 4-H Foundation, we will be offering opportunities for middle/early high school-aged youth to visit the UMaine campus for targeted science or engineering experiences! Science Saturday programs run from 10 AM – 1:30 p.m. and include time for youth to engage in hands-on activities with professors and current UMaine students, as well as time for lunch in a UMaine dining hall! We need your input! What topics should we offer? Please let us know by filling out the survey here: 2020 4-H Science Saturday Programs Survey (Qualtrics) - 4-H Statewide Teen Dance Seeks Planning Committee Members
There is a small group of 4-H members who would like to plan a statewide formal dance for teen 4-H members across the state. We are looking for teen volunteers who would like to be a part of the planning committee for this Winter event. FMI please contact Maddie Gray maddicus83@gmail.com. - Winter Becoming an Outdoor Woman Program
The 2019 Winter Becoming an Outdoor Woman program will be held on February 21 – 23, 2020 at Bryant Pond 4-H Camp and Learning Center, 17 Conservation Lane, Bryant Pond ME 04219 in Oxford County. This fun weekend is geared towards women seeking new ways to get outdoors, meet new friends, and challenge themselves. All meals and lodging are provided and space is limited to 36 participants. FMI: Winter Becoming an Outdoor Woman Program or call 207.665.2068. - Save the Date! 4-H Animal Science Bonanza
January 11, 2020 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, at the Walpole Elementary School, 8 Bemis Rd, Walpole, NH. This 4-H program will have beef, sheep, goat, dairy, and horse workshops with guest speakers. To register – go online to Registration information 4-H Animal Science Bonanza by January 6, 2020. For more information contact Andrea, Extension Field Specialist, 603.352.4550 or sawyer@unh.edu. - Maine 4-H Project Records Survey
The final survey regarding the Maine 4-H Project Records is available. You are invited to participate in a statewide research project being conducted by Kristy Ouellette and Jennifer Lobley, Extension Educators at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. This is the third of three surveys. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete an on-line survey with questions pertaining to your attitudes and beliefs regarding 4-H project records in Maine. The survey will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete. You will be entered in for a drawing of a Hannaford Gift Card. The survey is available here: https://umaine.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_78SczkYK7t5bMIl - Maine 4-H Horse Team
February 1st the deadline to submit the intent to participate in the Maine 4-H Horse Team. You will find the intent form here Maine 4-H Horse Team FMI please contact Kristy Ouellette, ouellette@maine.edu. - 4-H Page Day in Augusta – February 6, 2020
UMaine Day at the Legislature, Thursday, February 6, is approaching. It’s a day where Cooperative Extension gets to highlight our awesome programs, and 4-H is one of the best! Since legislators like to see 4-H members from their districts, 4-Hers (age 13 or older) are encouraged to serve as Honorary Pages. The Maine 4-H program has up to 30 slots for Honorary Pages.What does a page do? Legislators are constantly communicating and making decisions while in session and pages make that communication possible. Pages hand out information packets or place the paper information on their desks. Pages will also run communication and documents directly from legislator to legislator. It’s fast paced and pages will be moving around the chambers quite a bit, taking direction from the Clerks. We will meet at 8:30 for 4-H pictures and an orientation. Then at 9:00am we will divide our group with one going to the House and the other to the Senate where each group will receive their instructions. Session will begin by 10:00am and will likely conclude around 12:30pm, but the timing is never certain.NEW: Bicentennial Exploration with the Maine State Museum! The Museum will host our group from 1:30-3:00pm with a free interactive learning series they have developed around documents and artifacts from 200 years ago- giving everyone a new understanding of the process Maine underwent to achieve statehood. The voting might surprise you! What were the moral implications of Maine achieving statehood? Statehood is a messy process and we’re diving into it! Their Bicentennial exhibit will not yet be open, so they are offering us a sneak peak!If you are interested in serving as a page, lease email Alisha Targonski at r.targonski@maine.eduwith the subject line “Page Day.”We would love to pages from all over the state represented. Slots, representing different state senators and representatives, will be filled in the order they are received, but the final deadline is January 31. If the slot for your legislative district has been filled, your name will be added to a wait list in the order it is received. Your slot will only be reserved if you send this complete information:
– Full Name
– Current Age
– Mailing Address, Town, Zip Code
– County (find it here: type town name into www.google.com)
– Phone Number
– Email Address (this is how we will confirm you)
– Name of your School/Homeschool
– Name of your 4-H Club
– Name of your Maine State Representative (Find it here)
– Name of your Maine State Senator (Find it here)
– Name of your Adult Chaperone
– Adult Chaperone’s cell phone number4-H Honorary Pages will be in the Capitol from 8:30am– 3:00pm. A parent or 4-H volunteer must provide transportation and chaperoning. If you have questions, please let Alisha know at alisha.r.targonski@maine.edu. - Higher Education Scholarships
The Maine 4-H Foundation provides a number of scholarships for graduating seniors. The applications are found on line and are due in the county office by March 1 and to the Maine 4-H Foundation by March 8th. Please see the rubric and application requirements on line Maine 4-H Foundation Scholarships. - Camp Scholarships Available
The Maine 4-H Foundation has camp scholarships ranging from $100-$200 available for 4-H members to any one week of 4-H camp. Try one of our University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Centers at Blueberry Cove, Bryant Pond, Greenland Point and Tanglewood. Call the camps to ask for a scholarship. Scholarships are based on need and first come, first serve. https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/camps/ - 2020 Maine 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate
The 2020 Maine 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate Form is now available online. Forms must be submitted to your county office by January 10, 2020 and will be forwarded to the Aroostook County Extension Office, Attn: Mari Glatter, 18 Military St, Houlton, ME 04730. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the 4-H Beef Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September 2020. - National 4-H Dairy Conference
The 66th National 4-H Dairy Conference will be held September 27 to September 30, 2020 in Madison, Wisconsin. It will be held in conjunction with World Dairy Expo and attendees will have the chance to visit Expo as part of the conference agenda. Additionally, the conference will offer opportunities to learn more about careers in agriculture, seminars on dairy topics, and a wealth of chances to interact with dairy 4-H members from across the country.More info about the conference can be found here (check back for updates as they happen): National 4-H Dairy ConferenceThe Maine 4H Animal Science Dairy Committee would love to try and send/support a team of motivated kiddos who are involved with the Dairy Goat, or Dairy Cattle Project Areas for this very unique and meaningful opportunity.The National 4H Dairy Conference requires that 4H team members: Have spent at least 3 years in those project areas, and be at least 15 years old but not yet older than 18 (4H age).We are also looking for potential VOLT Chaperones who might like to help organize and facilitate this trip. If we have an idea of how many kids are interested we can plan our fundraising efforts accordingly. Interested parties can contact Tara marble at marble@maine.edu, or 207-778-4650 at the Franklin County Office. - Congratulations to the Agri-Science & Healthy Living Summit Delegates for 2020
In early December, delegates were chosen to attend the National Youth Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summit Trips to be held in Washington, D.C. this Winter. Summits provide an opportunity for youth to learn more about their own sparks and create an action plan to bring back to Maine to teach or provide resources for area youth. These ten scholarship spots are generously funded by the Maine 4-H Foundation. Congratulations to Agri-Science delegates Noah B. (Cumberland), Owen B. (Penobscot), Natalie D. (Cumberland), Susannah H. (Piscataquis), and Rachel W. (Cumberland)! Congratulations to Healthy Living Summit delegates Kalayaan C. (York), Nathan D. ( Knox/Lincoln), Maddie G. (Androscoggin/Sagadahoc), Jordyn M. (Androscoggin/Sagadahoc), Samuel P. (Washington), with Grace T. (York) as an alternate! If you have any questions about these Summit Trips or would like more information about applications for next year, please contact Sara Conant, conant@maine.eduor Alisha Targonski, alisha.r.targonski@maine.edu about Healthy Living, and Tara Marble, tara.marble@maine.edu about Agri-Science.