September 4-H Newsletter
Upcoming Dates
Aroostook Leaders Assoc. Mtg: September 10th @ 6:00 pm
Project Records due to the office: September 30th
Re-Enrollment Open: October 1st – December 31st, returning members must re-enroll on zsuite.
National 4-H Week: Oct 6th -12th
4-H Supper Sitters Program: Weekly, starting October 15th for 6 weeks (online)
Yearly Achievement Celebration: Date TDB, more details to follow.
Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign: November 29th – December 15th
Check the Aroostook 4-H Calendar for the most up to date event information.
County News
Do you have a gently-used suitcase you no longer need?
Consider donating it to the Aroostook County Homemakers! They are collecting suitcases for foster children, who often must move their belongings from location to location in nothing more than a garbage bag. The homemakers are working with DHHS to bring a little dignity to the process of moving for these kiddos. Drop off your lightly loved suitcases (or duffel bags or wheelies or back packs) to the Presque Isle Extension office and President Dianna Day will be sure to get them to the kids who need them.
Fun at the Fair!
Thank you to all our Aroostook 4-H members, volunteers, families, and friends for coming out and supporting the 4-H program at the Northern Maine Fair this year. In spite of the heat, members showed off their skills, knowledge, and talents in numerous activities over the course of five days. Aroostook 4-H members who participated in the fair should be receiving their premium checks in the mail within the next week. If you have some Fun Fair photos to share, please send them along to emily.dow@maine.edu and we can share them in an upcoming newsletter edition.
Super Sitters – Statewide Spin Club
Are you interested in babysitting? Do you have younger siblings at home? Do you want to feel more confident working with kids? This is the perfect 4-H club for you! The Super Sitter Babysitting Course is designed to prepare youth ages 12-16 for babysitting responsibilities. During this SPecial INterest club, teens will learn basic safety measures and how to respond to emergency situations when caring for young children. Participants will discover what is appropriate at various stages of child development through hands-on activities, scenarios and more!
This club will meet virtually Tuesdays from 3-4pm October 15-November 12. One in-person session will be held on November 19th in Aroostook and Washington counties.
Participation is free, registration is required. Space is limited to 15 participants. Registration closes September 30th. Registered participants will receive a link to access the meetings online and will also be provided with at-home materials. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu or megan.cook@maine.edy or call 207.255.3345.
To register:
- Enrolled 4-H members need to be logged into ZSuite, and then go to the internal registration page.
For youth who are outside of 4-H or don’t have a ZSuite account, please use the external registration page.
What to know about Project Records– Due September 30th!
4-H Project Records help youth…
- Identify and nurture their spark.
- Embedded within the project record are opportunities for 4-H members to identify and share their spark- what they are passionate about, something that they lose track of time when they are engaged in the activity.
Learn and practice goal management skills.
- Annually youth describe their project goals and reflect on the successes and challenges. Youth do not just set a goal they describe how they will apply it to current and future situations.
Develop a growth mindset.
- Youth can have challenges and reflect upon those challenges within their project record. This low-risk exercise is a great way to practice learning new things- sometimes you will be successful and sometimes it may just not go as planned.
Develop self-reflection skills.
- The PURPOSE of project records is to document not just what you have experienced, but how you will take what you have learned and grow; as a person, as a leader, as a Maine 4-H member. This record is a guide to reflect upon your own personal journey.
Demonstrate skills.
- The optional project record forms will prepare you with documentation needed for applying for scholarships, national trips and maybe even your first job or college course. Over your 4-H career, using these forms as a method of documentation and organization will better prepare you to create a resume or portfolio of skills.
Important Project Information
- Due September 30th to the office.
- Find them here: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/project-records/
- Can be filled out online and emailed if the members don’t have access to a printer. Hard copies can be requested if leaders/parents don’t have printers.
- Pictures are encouraged, especially for cloverbuds.
- Cloverbuds (age 5-8) records are a reflection of their year.
- Junior/Senior (age 9-18) records are project specific.
- Jr/Sr. members can submit more than one record if they have multiple projects.
- Members with market projects, multi year projects, and senior members are encouraged to add one or more “optional records” to support the required portion of the project record.
- Option records found here: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/project-records/optional/
- Members must have a completed project record to be awarded a pin.
- Records are also judged for additional awards.
Aroostook Clubs & Member News
Treystar Pathfinders
Aroostook Leader’s Association & Treystar members worked to get a 4-H Food booth and 4-H areas looking great for this year’s fair.
Treystar members had numerous entries in the exhibit hall, demo ex, sheep, beef/dairy shows
Aroostook Valley Baby Beef
Record Breaking Auction for AVBBC!
The Aroostook Valley Baby Beef Club’s year culminated at the Northern Maine Fair in August with our annual show and auction. The judge certainly had his work cut out for him as our 15 members presented some excellent steers! Grand Champion honors went to Isabella McCarthy of Houlton and Reserve honors went to Olivia McCarthy of Houlton. As usual, Matthew and Dale of D.A. Folsom Auction Service Inc. worked hard to get our members top dollar from our faithful buyers! After a sponsor paid $.15 per pound to each member on top of what their buyer paid, the auction brought a record breaking $102,391. with an average per pound price of $6.24! Congratulations to all! We are so proud of your hard work, dedication, and stewardship of your livestock!
Easton Recreation 4-H Club
Easton will be hosting Ms. Megan & Ms. Carrie in the month of October. Activities are open to members and non-members. Join us!
Homestead F.R.I.E.N.D.S. of Aroostook Club
Members met recently and learned about the fun and artful activity of soap making.
Aroostook Members Headed to Big E
Three Aroostook 4-H members will be traveling south to The Eastern States Exposition, representing Maine 4-H with their livestock. Best wishes to…
- Megan R., Horse
- Olivia M., Beef
- Isabella M., Beef
Aroostook Member Featured in Real Maine Newsletter
The Evergreen’s 4-H Club member, Oakley P. was featured in the August newsletter from Real Maine & The ME Dept. of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry.
Read the full story HERE!
State 4-H News
September, 2024
- Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey Training
Thinking about becoming a 4-H volunteer? We are looking for people to help youth find their spark and thrive! We offer lots of ways to be involved depending on your time and interests. Join us for two one-hour virtual sessions to help you with your decision. By the end of the two-part series, you will have completed four short e-Learning modules to introduce you to the 4-H program, participate in an experiential learning activity, learn about the key aspects of positive youth development, and be introduced to ages and stages of youth. This core training will wrap up with an outline of next steps and an introduction to your county staff contact so you can begin the application process if you choose. No pressure to commit, no cost, and no reason to not attend! Please note, these sessions are for individuals who are not currently enrolled 4-H volunteers. Upcoming Sessions:
– Wednesdays, September 18 & 25, 2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
– Tuesdays, November 12 & 19, 2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm.
For more information or to register visit the information page.
2. Northern Maine Children’s Water Festival at UMaine
Join Scarlett, Melissa, and the 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center as they explore organisms found in the ocean. Kids get a chance to touch, hold, investigate, and explore species found in the Gulf of Maine. This free, hands-on, learning festival is geared towards 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. The event will be filled with a variety of water resource professionals that promote the value of clean water and healthy habitats, as well as provide teachers with materials and lessons they can use in their own classroom.
Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Location: University of Maine, Orono
For more information visit the Children’s Water Festival website.
3. 4-H Tick Project
The 4-H Tick Project is a community science project engaging K-12 youth and educators, made possible through a partnership between 4-H Youth Development, UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab, Maine Forest Tick Survey, and members of the Learning Ecosystems Northeast partnership. The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health. All educators interested in teaching about ticks in Maine are encouraged to participate in the project at no cost to you. This is a great project for 4-H clubs, SPIN clubs, homeschool groups, and more. For more information and to register, visit the 4-H Tick Project webpage.
September Harvest of the Month is Tomatoes
Check out the Tomato Resource Page for lessons, activities, books, from Maine Agriculture in the Classroom
Mainely Dish: Homemade Salsa
Check out this recipe for Homemade Salsa – enjoy.