January 2019
Cumberland County 4-H News
4-H Calendar
State 4-H News
4-H Club Happenings
Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News
Cumberland County 4-H News
Important Dates
January 4: Beef ESE Intent to Participate Forms due
January 17: CC 4-H Leaders meeting, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Gorham Public Works, 80 Huston Road, Gorham Educational Program:
January 17: Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) Scholarship applications due to the UMaine Cooperative Extension Cumberland office, 75 Clearwater Drive, Suite 104, Falmouth, Maine 04105, (Directions), any weekday from 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
January 18: Fashion Revue, Intent to Participate Form is due
4-H Leaders Association Meeting and Cookie Social
Join us on Thursday, January 17, 7:00 – 8:00 at the Gorham Public Works Building (80 Huston Road, Gorham) for a Cookie Social. This is a chance to meet volunteers, new and old, and to offer input on educational topics you’d like to see offered in the coming months! A regular business meeting of the association will begin at 8:00 following the social, and all are encouraged to attend.
Re-Enrollment 2018-2019 4-H Year
If you were a 4-H member last year and have not yet turned in your enrollment form, health form, and photo release form, the due date was December 31st. Please mail or drop off a copy of your forms to UMaine Extension, 75 Clearwater Drive, Suite 104, Falmouth, Maine 04105 as soon as possible.
If you are a 4-H volunteer who has not yet completed their background check release form and notified Sara of its completion via email or phone, please do so as soon as possible! Those who fail to complete their background check release forms will no longer be able to volunteer with 4-H making it extremely important that you do so. These can be completed here.
Questions? Email sara.conant@maine.edu or call 207-781-6099.
If you would like to apply for a CWF Scholarship through the Cumberland County 4-H Leader’s Association, applications will be due to the UMaine Extension Cumberland office by 4:00 PM January 17th, and interviews will be the evening of February 1st in Falmouth. For more information about CWF and for a scholarship application please visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/cumberland/programs/citizenship-washington-focus-scholarship-info/
4-H Public Speaking Opportunities
Public speaking is an important skill for 4-H youth to learn. There are some great opportunities for 4-H youth to develop their skills in 2019:
- Public Speaking Workshop – A 4-H Public Speaking Workshop has not been scheduled for 2019 but if you or your club would like to have Mitch attend a club meeting, or work one on one with you please let us know!
- Cumberland County 4-H Public Speaking/Demonstration Day, February 2nd, set up at 1:30 PM, presentations start at 2:00 PM at the Inn at Village Square, Gorham. This fun, non-judged event is a great way for 4-H’ers to practice their public speaking skills in front of a welcoming audience. For more information please visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/cumberland/programs/cumberland-county-4-h/4-h-forms-and-registrations/demonstration-public-speaking/
- Maine 4-H Statewide Public Speaking Tournament, April 6th, University of Maine, Orono. In order to be eligible to represent Cumberland County at this tournament you must participate in 4-H Public Speaking/Demonstration Day and be approved to attend by Mitch or Sara. For more information please visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/youth/public-speaking/tournament/
Fashion Revue 2019
If you enjoy designing and making your own sewn, crocheted, or knitted projects, join us in this year’s Fashion Revue. We are encouraging all participants to get their creative juices flowing with great materials, yarns, and patterns, resulting in some great projects. The theme will be Elements of Fashion.
Fashion Revue is open to all ages, with categories for Cloverbuds (ages 5-8), beginner, intermediate, and advanced sewers, knitters, and crocheters. Items crafted could include garments, accessories, stuffed animals, livestock blankets, or any other item your creative mind can imagine and your talented hands can produce. Fill out the online 4-H Fashion Revue Intent to Participate form (Google Form) by Friday, January 18. Your completed project must be turned in at the UMaine Extension Cumberland Office by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 21, or make other arrangements with Jenn Grant, 207.318.9166 or findviewfarm@juno.com. Deadline of project drop off is non-negotiable!
Judging and the Fashion Show for Fashion Revue will take place on Saturday, February 23, at the Little Falls Activity Center, 40 Acorn Street, Gorham at 1:00 p.m. Your creation will first be judged off-person, then you will either wear or bring your entry before the judges.
For more information and to register, please visit the Fashion Revue page.
Save the Date – Mini-Forum March 16th, 2019
Mini-Forum will be held Saturday, March 16th, at USM Gorham, Bailey Hall. Do you have ideas for a Mini-Forum workshop? Do you know someone who would make a fun and interesting presenter? The online presenter registration form will be available in late January after the Teen Council Meeting. Email Sara at sara.conant@maine.edu or call 207-781-6099 with your ideas and for more information on how to help. Mini-Forum will be open to any youth ages 5-18 regardless of 4-H membership, so tell your friends!
Congratulations to the Agri-Science & Healthy Living Summit Delegates for 2019
There was very stiff competition this year for the Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summit Trips with 19 applicants for only 9 slots. Five youth were chosen to attend Agri-Science this year in early January. Congratulations to Matthew D., Don S., Natalie D., Rachel W., and Marina L., all members of Cumberland County 4-H! Four youth were chosen to attend the Healthy Living Summit this February. Congratulations to Maddie G., Samuel P., Nimo A. (Cumberland County), and Jordyn M.
New Hampshire Animal Science Bonanza
Anyone with an interest in Beef, Sheep, Goat, Dairy, and Horse have the opportunity to participate in the 4-H Animal Science Bonanza being held on Saturday, January 12, 9:00 – 3:00, in Walpole, NH. You do not need to be in 4-H to attend. There are some great speakers and educational workshops planned, along with Quiz Bowls, Skillathons, and Judging. Check out the registration here.
State 4-H News January 2019
Save the Date for 2019 Maine 4-H Days
Maine 4-H Days will take place July 19 – 21 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.
Maine 4-H Days Planning Committee
July will be here before you know it, and we are looking for a few good volunteers to join the fantastic current Maine 4-H Days Planning Committee. Joining this committee gives you the chance to help come up with ideas and plans for one of our biggest statewide events! If you are interested in joining the Maine 4-H Days Planning Committee, or have general questions/comments/recommendations about the event, please email brainerd@maine.edu, or call 207.581.3877.
Eastern States Exposition Horse Intents
2019 Eastern States Horse tryouts intent to participate is available at: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/animal-science-resources/horse/. AGE CHANGEfor 2019, youth who are aged 13-18 (as of December 31, 2018) are eligible to try out as a rider/driver or teen leader. Please contact Kristy Ouellette (ouellette@maine.edu) if you have any questions. Intent to participate forms must be post marked by 2/1.
National Trips
National 4-H Trip Applications Are due March 8th, 2019 (Conference and Congress) National 4-H Trips are excellent opportunities to meet 4-H members from across the nation. Participants learn about many career options, and learn through educational workshops at Congress or become a part of a team making recommendations to National 4-H Council at Conference. To learn more about these trips, visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/national-trips/. Websites are currently being updated. For specific questions, please contact Heidi Palmer, State Activities Coordinator at: heidi.thuotte@maine.edu
UMaine 4-H Unconference – not your average volunteer forum!
UMaine 4-H Unconference – a volunteer forum led by 4-H volunteers for 4-H volunteers. UMaine 4-H Unconference will be an organized forum for 4-H volunteers, club leaders, afterschool providers, teachers, parents and teens leaders to gather. UMaine 4-H Unconference is intentionally designed to have YOU teach and learn from each other. There is no agenda – you come with 4-H ideas and topics you want to talk about or learn more about, and we’ll guide the process to get folks into groups where YOU are the experts. All experience levels are welcome and no one person has all the answers. Door prizes will be given at the end of the day. Register online at: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/unconference/
Join us for one or both of these awesome dates! Registration begins at 8:30 and door prizes will be drawn by 3:00.
- Lewiston – Saturday, January 12, 2019 (snow date January 19, 2019)
- Orono – Saturday, January 26, 2019 (snow date February 2, 2019)
2019 Engineers’ Week Expo
Every year, near George Washington’s Birthday, engineers across the country celebrate National Engineers Week, as George was a civil engineer who founded our nation. Here in Maine, our custom is to hold a huge “Expo” for all those young engineers (people who explore ingenuity) to visit and get to know us better. Our next Expo will be in southern Maine at USM in Gorham, with a banquet event the night before in Portland. Those of you who’ve come, already know how intense and fun it can be! We hosted over 3,000 last time it was at USM!
Our Expo will be from 9:00-2:00 Saturday, March 2, 2019 in the Field House at USM’s Costello Sports Center. Snacks will be available, with souvenir tee shirts. Campus tours will be available. See http://www.engineeringme.com for general information. Depending on our sponsors, some busing costs will be available.
Please provide feedback on Project Records!
Click the following link to take the survey. https://umaine.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bP1iUM659wuRVrL
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. 4-H volunteers and staff from all over Maine will participate in this study.
Purpose of this research project: We recognize the value of our 4-H volunteers. As a state we have rolled out new 4-H Project Records. We want to have a better understanding of your beliefs and understandings of the function of these records. What will you be asked to do? 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. Risks: Except for your time and inconvenience, there are no foreseeable risks to you in participating in this study. Benefits: You will be eligible to enter into a raffle for a $25.00 gift card to Hannaford. Confidentiality: As a participant you will be anonymous. Investigators or a student will enter data into a computer. Data will be kept on a secured computer with only the investigators or a student having access. Data will be kept for a period of 5 years. Voluntary: Participation is voluntary. If you choose to take part in this study, you may stop at any time during the study. You may skip any questions you do not wish to answer. Participation in the on-line survey implies consent to participate.
Contact Information: If you have any questions about this study, please contact Kristy Ouellette at 207.353.5550 or kristy.ouellette@maine.edu If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, please contact Gayle Jones, Assistant to the University of Maine’s Protection of Human Subjects Review Board, at 581.1498.
2019 Maine State Science Fair
It’s time to announce the 2019 Maine State Science Fair, to be held Saturday, March 23 at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. Prizes and awards include 12 four-year, full-tuition scholarships to The University of Maine (including admission to the UMaine Honors College), and major scholarships from University of New England, College of the Atlantic, and Husson University. In 2018, MSSF awarded over $1 million in scholarships and awards. Other scholarships may be announced in the coming weeks.
The Maine State Science Fair is open, without cost, to all Maine high school students who complete their own research or engineering project individually or in teams of 2-3. The purpose of MSSF is to present, learn, and discuss science with peers and STEM professionals from across Maine. Projects are invited from across all STEM disciplines: life sciences, agriculture, mathematics, computer sciences, psychology, energy, physics, marine science, environmental sciences, ecology, chemistry. All STEM projects are considered!
Important dates for this year’s MSSF:
– January 18 – student registration
– February 1 – research plan deadline.
– March 1 – preliminary research results deadline.
– March 23 – Maine State Science Fair.
More information can be found online at: https://www.jax.org/education-and-learning/high-school-students-and-undergraduates/maine-state-science-fair
4-H Page Day in Augusta – January 29, 2019
UMaine Day at the Legislature, Tuesday, January 29, 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.
If you are interested in serving as a page, please contact Diana at 207-622-7546 or diana.hartley@maine.edu.
NEW: Expanded Page Day: Explore American Civics even more in Augusta!
Afternoon tour and activities with the newly opened First Amendment Museum. After lunch we invite participants of Page Day to explore this new museum experience located in the Gannett House, next door to the Blaine House, on State Street, in Augusta. From 1:30-2:30pm on January 29 the First Amendment Museum will showcase displays as well as have interactive experiences to explore the “Five Freedoms” guaranteed by the First Amendment. There may be limited space for this tour, please indicate when you RSVP for Page Day whether you and your chaperone plan to join.
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 20th. 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. If you are leaving a message, please be sure to say “I am interested in serving as a 4-H Page at the Legislature on January 29”. Your slot will be reserved if you leave this complete information:
– Full Name
– Age
– Mailing Address
– County
– Phone Number
– Email Address (this is how we will confirm you)
– Name of your School
– Name of your 4-H Club
– Name of your Maine State Representative
– Name of your Maine State Senator
– Name of your Adult Chaperone
– Adult Chaperone’s cell phone number
4-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.
Club Happenings
White Pines Equines and Caprines
Reporter Bridge F.
On Dec. 12th, we held our White Pine Caprines and Equines banquet. Everyone brought lots of food to share. We listened to speeches and elected new officers and certificates were given out. Our new treasurer, Jack M. brought some cards and art supplies for us to write Christmas cards to the Vets at Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough. Thanks Jack! Kristi Wright received a gift and a special thank you from the whole club! It was a very good banquet indeed.
Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News
UMaine Extension Cumberland County offers many different workshops throughout the year. To learn more about our workshop offerings please visit https://extension.umaine.edu/cumberland/upcoming-events/