May 2021 4-H News

Cumberland County 4-H News

4-H Calendar
State 4-H News
4-H Club Happenings
Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News

In-Person Programming UPDATES

The University of Maine has updated their in-person guidelines and as a result Maine 4-H has updated their in-person program checklists. Please review the checklist here for complete details. Below you will find some of the highlighted changes:

• For indoor meetings/programs:
  • Until May 23rd, the indoor gathering limit is up to 50% of space capacity with 6 feet social distancing factored in. Ex: If the facility you meet in can fit 40 people all standing 6 feet apart, you may have 20 people.
  • Effective May 24th indoor gatherings will be limited to 75% of the capacity limit and 6 feet of social distance must still be maintained. You will need to determine the capacity based on the 6 foot social distance requirement. Remember to count adult participants. Ex: If the facility you meet in can fit 40 people all standing 6 feet apart, you may have 30.
  • For indoor meetings and programs all youth and adults must wear a face mask.
• For outdoor meetings/programs:
  • Until May 23rd, the outdoor gathering limit is up to 75% with 6 feet of social distance between members
  • Effective May 24th the outdoor gathering limit will be 100% but 6 feet social distance must still be maintained.
  • For outdoor meetings and programs face masks are recommended, but not required, when outdoors in meetings/programs that make physical distancing difficult to maintain. Face masks are not required when outdoors with meetings/programs when social distancing (greater than 6 feet) is easily managed, and when participants are eating food (while properly distanced).

Given these changes we ask that all volunteers, members, and parents, continue to be mindful that everyone has a different comfort level with social interactions. If as a leader you know that you have a member(s) who will only be able to, or feel comfortable participating outdoors if everyone wears a mask at all times, please make a reasonable attempt to accommodate this preference.

Please review all of the Covid-19 meeting procedures at the link below. Training, and the meeting approval form can be found here as well: https://extension.umaine.edu/plugged-in/return/restarting-educational-programs/

True Leaders in Service Chicken to Kitchen Food Drive: May 10th – June 10th

This year the Cumberland County 4-H Teen Council & other 4-Hers from a variety of clubs have come together to raise meat chickens and donate them to organizations like Preble Street and multiple town food pantries. These chickens will be raised over the course of 8 weeks from late April to June. If you are interested in helping out, there is a food drive accepting both cash and non-perishable food donations. The food drive is happening from May 10th to June 10th. Food may be dropped off in a box in the lobby of the UMaine Extension Office, 75 Clearwater Drive, Ste 104, Falmouth, ME 04105. If you wish to donate money, checks can be made payable to CC 4-H Leaders Association and mailed to the same address where the food is donated.   

The Teen Council is challenging all clubs to see who can donate the most items to the Food Drive by June 10th. There will be prizes for the club that donates the most items, and for the club that has the highest percentage of participation from members (keep track of who from your club donates and divide that number by the total number of members).

Paul Merrill Memorial Fund – Applications Extended to May 14th

Fashion Revue Update

Animal Approvals

Anyone wishing to show animals at any 4-H shows/events at fairs this year must have a valid Animal Approval Form. All forms must be filled out, signed by the club leader (on the line directly after the last animal listed), and signed and embossed by the county office. 4-H’ers will receive a signed and embossed copy in the mail within approximately two weeks of the form being received in our office (potentially longer due to Covid-19). The sooner they arrive in, the sooner you will have them back.

Please pay special attention to the second side of the form which lists the proper identification needed for each species of animal. It is very important that this information, along with a signed lease form for any animal that you lease, is sent with your animal approval form. Forms will not be signed if there are leased animals on the form and no lease form, or if there is no extra identification for species of animals that need it. Please also note that each animal may only be leased by one 4-Her and listed on only one 4-Her’s animal approval form. The only exception is that one horse may be leased by two 4-H members and listed on two 4-Her’s animal approval forms. A maximum of 20 animals per species that require an animal approval form may be leased by a member.

Please note if you would like your Animal Approvals back to you in order to participate in Monmouth Fair they must be in to the office by June 1st. If you are participating in Ossipee Valley Fair, they must be to the office no later than June 15th. These early dates allow time for review, processing, & return mailing. Any approvals arriving after the recommended dates will be date stamped accordingly, but cannot be guaranteed to be returned to you before Monmouth or Ossipee Valley Fair. Please plan accordingly!

Forms can be found online on the General Volunteer Resources – Forms page.

If you have any questions or would like blank forms sent to you please email or call Sara at sara.conant@maine.edu or 207.781.6099.

Summer of Science Seeking Teen Teachers 

4-H Teen Teaching is a summer internship for teens ages 14-19 which will give you 21st Century Skills for your future while earning a stipend (money) for helping out. The internship is only a few hours per week during June and July so you can combine this awesome opportunity with another summer job or internship if you choose. If you take this challenge you will learn communication, leadership, perseverance, teamwork, science, teaching skills, and meet a lot of new friends.

For those teens selected for this 7-week program, you will teach a science lesson to kids in 3rd-6th grade at least twice a week. We will train you in June how to help younger kids learn. We will have some in-person training (zoom optional) and some training via zoom.

The 4-H program in Cumberland County (a part of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension) is seeking twelve (12) teens to be a part of this program running from late June through early August 2021. Training will start Wednesday, June 16.

Virtual Volunteer Opportunity – VOCALiD 4-H Voice Drive 

A virtual volunteering opportunity for anyone interested in science, technology, healthcare, medicine, or community service. VOCALiD and the human voicebank is an organization that provides custom voices to people who use augmentative and alternative communication devices. VOCALiD relies on volunteers of all ages and from all over the country and world, to record their voices as they read aloud from different short texts. They then use technology, (explained in this TED Talk), to use those recorded voices to create custom, regionally, and age appropriate voices for people who use assistive technology to communicate.

Recording your voice for the human voicebank is a great way to make a positive difference in someone’s life. The All Star Dairy 4-H club is leading this voice-drive, which runs until May 15th. They have set a goal of 3,500 sentences, and would be so grateful to anyone who would like to help them reach their goal! Any sentences recorded using the link below will go towards their 4-H voice-drive. More about the human voicebank can be found in the initiative pamphlet linked below, and step by step instructions for how to record your voice can be found in the voice banking guide below. Please contact 4-Her Fiona Larsson at fflarsson123@gmail.com with any questions.

To join the Voice Drive visit: https://portal.vocalid.ai/account

Voice Drive FAQ (PDF)
Voice Drive Guidelines (PDF)

Citizenship Washington Focus 2021 & National 4-H Trips

No new information has been received about the format, dates, or number of youth able to attend this year’s Citizenship Washington Focus event or any of the other National 4-H Trips. As we receive information from the Maine 4-H Program about CWF we will pass along any event and application information.

State 4-H News May 2021

4-H Summer Learning Series
After an incredibly successful 4-H Summer Learning Series last year, Maine 4-H will once again offer virtual experiential learning workshops and clubs to youth ages 5-18 throughout June, July, and August 2021. Topics range from engineering, art, science, animals & agriculture, food & nutrition, teen leadership, and more – there is truly something for everyone! An exciting addition this year is that 4-H@UMaine will be offered as part of the 4-H Summer Learning Series – so keep your eyes peeled for a special 4-H@UMaine “track” of workshops connecting youth to UMaine faculty and students on campus!Early registration will be available to enrolled 4-H’ers on Friday, May 28, 2021 and will open to the public on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Help us spread the word to your friends and communities – enrollment in 4-H is not required to participate, this event is open to all! For more information, visit the 4-H Summer Learning Series.

Coming this fall….the 2021 Virtual Exhibit Hall!!
Start planning now to showcase your 4-H projects in the online exhibit hall in October. There will be a couple of new categories to feature a broader view of your work!  Be on the lookout for more details on the University of Maine Cooperative Extension website and by email.

Spreading the Love of Chickens
There are some Androscoggin-Sagadahoc 4-Hers who want to share a great opportunity to spread the love of chickens.  They participated in the Egg Entrepreneurship project and want to donate some of their extra chickens to other interested 4-H members in Maine.From one of the participants:
Because of the Egg Entrepreneurship project we have had the opportunity to start our own egg business, Chickswell and Beans. Chickswell and Beans raised organic chickens for organic eggs. It has been such a great opportunity and we have learned many great life skills along the way. We would like to give 4 organic pullets to a 4Her that is committed to the egg entrepreneurship project. We would love to find homes for these chickens as soon as possible (within a week would be best).

If you are interested, please contact Jess W.

Exciting Upcoming Maine 4-H Virtual Teen Science Cafes
Maine 4-H Virtual Teen Science cafes will take place on Tuesdays from 4:00 – 4:45 pm. Pre-registration is required, and registration links are online.

• • May 11 – Meet Amber Gray, a Social Sciences and Humanities Librarian at UMaine’s Raymond H. Fogler Library – and learn about her journey and what exactly it means to be a librarian? Here’s a hint: there’s more to it than relaxing and reading books!
  • May 18 – First-Year Student, First Year in the Lab –  Katherine Stevens, a freshman at UMaine is going to meet with youth this week to talk about her experience as a first-year college student, and what that’s meant for her in terms of working in a lab, and experiencing student life.

Update Regarding Maine 4-H Days
The in-person event Maine 4-H Days has been canceled for 2021. Information will be shared later in the spring about upcoming 4-H activities for the summer.

4-H Market Lamb Intent for Fryeburg Fair
Youth planning to participate in the Market Lamb program at Fryeburg Fair need to submit the 2021 Fryeburg Fair Market Lamb Intent form by May 17^th. An online form is available, otherwise youth can print and mail a copy downloaded from the website.

UMaine Offers Summer Camps and Academic Programs!
The Early College Program allows students to take college courses while they are still in high school. Students can take these courses either tuition-free or at a reduced early college rate.  If you are a high school student interested in taking some college courses this summer, visit the Early CollegeFor a listing of Youth summer camps affiliated with the University of Maine, visit the Youth Summer Camps website.

Spring 2021 Maine 4-H Dog Clinic (in-person!)
The Spring 2021 Maine 4-H Dog Clinic will be held in-person at the UMaine Witter Farm in Old Town, Maine. You don’t need a dog to participate and all skill levels are welcome however, you must be 4-H age 9 or older. Registration closes on May 21. For more information or to register, please go to the website, or contact Sheila Norman at norman@maine.eduor 207.942.7396.

Club Happenings

Teen Council

The Teen Council has been hard at work planning the True Leaders in Service, Chicken to Kitchen event. Members have reached out to local businesses for donations, contacted food pantries to see who is interested in receiving donations, created marketing materials for newsletters and facebook posts, organized & taught project orientation, and organized the chicken pickup on May 1st. There is still lots of work to do with the food drive and chicken delivery. If you’re between the ages of 12 & 18 and interested in joining Teen Council, please reach out to Sara, sara.conant@maine.edu.

Your 4-H Club Happenings could be featured here! Just email sara.conant@maine.edu by the 25th of each month with information about your club meetings, events, or fundraisers. Pictures are always a plus!

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/