December 2023 4-H Newsletter
4-H Calendar
4-H Club Happenings
State 4-H News
Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News
December 18: Maker Monday, 4:00-5:00 PM, 4-H Office
December 20: Wacky Wednesday, 3:00-4:00 PM, Windham Public Library
December 31: Enrollments due for returning 4-H members and volunteers
January 5: Fryeburg Fair Market Steer Intent Form due
January 15: Maine 4-H Beef Team ESE Intent Form
January 16: SpeechCraft: Public Speaking Workshop, 4-H Office in Falmouth
February 3: Public Speaking/Demonstration Day, Inn at Village Square at 10am
Maker Monday & Wacky Wednesday
One Monday or Wednesday afternoon each month October – December, we will offer a themed hands-on activity for youth ages 5-11 that may include crafts or science. 5-8 year-olds must have an adult present for assistance and some projects encourage adult assistance for all ages. Current 4-H enrollment is not necessary for participation in the Maker Series program. The same theme will be provided at both locations for each month.
DECEMBER- HOLIDAY DECORATIONS
CLOVERBUDS
- Dates: Monday, December 18
- Time: 4:00-5:00 PM
- Ages: 5-8 year olds
- Location: UMaine Extension Cumberland Office, 75 Clearwater Dr, Falmouth
- Cost: FREE
- Registration: Click Here to Register
WINDHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY
- Dates: Wednesday, December 20
- Time: 3:00-4:00 PM
- Grades: K-6
- Location: Windham Public Library, 217 Windham Center Rd, Windham
- Cost: Free
- Registration: Click Here to Register
Have questions? Contact Allison by email allison.pollock@maine.edu or phone 207.781.6099.
Eligibility For Enrollment Requirements for 2023-2024
Renewing members and clubs are expected to re-enroll between October 1 and December 31 each year. New members may enroll at any time. However, both new and re-enrolling members must be enrolled by December 31 to participate in events and activities such as, but not limited to, state-wide market animal auctions, Eastern States Exposition competitions, National 4-H Congress, CWF, National 4-H Conference, and to be eligible for 4-H post secondary scholarships. In order to participate in county fairs, re-enrolling members are expected to meet the December 31 deadline and new members should be enrolled by April 1.
This year’s re-enrollments can be completed online at 4h.zsuite.org. New members may also make an account and enroll themselves online. If members, volunteers, or leaders need help with their re-enrollments or have any questions regarding ZSuite, please reach out to Allison, allison.pollock@maine.edu.
All volunteers must fill out two single-sided forms (enrollment and photo release) and one double-sided behavior and non-discrimination form. You can fill out these in your Zsuite account as a volunteer.
Club leaders, please ask the office for any additional physical enrollment forms or club rosters you will need.
Fryeburg Market Animal Intents Now Available
Intent to sell forms for Fryeburg market projects are now available at extension.umaine.edu/4h/animal-science-resources.
Steers must be owned and in the possession of the 4-H member by December 31st and intent forms, including RFID tags, bill of sale, and photos of the steer must be submitted by January 5th.
Lambs must be owned and in the possession of the 4-H member by June 1st and intent forms, including bill of sale, scrapie tag number, and photos of the animal, must be submitted by June 5th. For more information on 4-H market animal projects, please contact your county cooperative extension office or call 207.581.3877.
Maine 4-H ESE Beef Intent to Participate Forms are Now Available
The 2024 Maine 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate form is now available online and must be submitted by January 15, 2024. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the Maine 4-H Beef Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September. Youth must be 12-18 years old as of December 31, 2023 and have completed one year in a beef project prior to this year. Please contact Kristen Grondin, kristen.grondin@maine.edu, 207.581.8193, with any questions.
SpeechCraft: Public Speaking Workshop
Do you ever feel stressed about making in-class presentations? Do you wish you were better at speaking in front of a group?
Come learn how to write a speech, work on your public speaking skills, learn how to present on a microphone and conquer your presentation fears in a safe environment. Join us on January 16th from 6pm-8pm at the 4-H Office in Falmouth.
Please RSVP on this Google Form, if you have any questions, contact Allison at allison.pollock@maine.edu
Public Speaking/Demonstration Day
This event will occur at 10:00 AM on February 3rd at the Inn at the Village Square in Gorham. 4-H members will be able to do either public speaking or a demonstration alone or in groups. The Inn at Village Square is an assisted living facility in Gorham where the All-Star Dairy Club regularly meets with the seniors that live there and they are always looking for more visitors. They are excited for our program to be at their place!
More information will become available closer to the date. For tips on giving a 4-H presentation or demonstration please visit our Giving a 4-H Presentation and Demonstration page.
For questions or more information please reach out to Allison, allison.pollock@maine.edu.
Club Happenings
GNG 4-H Food Pantry Project
The Gray-New Gloucester Food Pantry Project met to plan a fundraiser in December. The project will be collecting donations and handing out candy canes at Windham Tractor Supply from 11am – 2pm on Sunday, December 17th. The money raised by the project supports local 4-Hers and the Gray and New Gloucester food pantries.
Your 4-H Club Happenings could be featured here! Just email allison.pollock@maine.edu by the 28th of each month with information about your club meetings, events, or fundraisers. Pictures are always a plus!
State 4-H News December 2023
4-H Volunteer Workshops for the 2023-2024 4-H Year
We invite you to participate in our 4-H Volunteer Connections virtual workshops! Join other 4-H volunteers from the North East region to learn, share and engage with one another on a variety of topics related to 4-H. All workshops are free and offered via Zoom in the evenings from 6:30 – 8:00 pm.
Topics include:
January 10 – Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive Programs
February 13 – Be a Positive Communicator
March 12 – Finding Space for Mental Wellness in Every Program
April 9 – Animal Science: Strong Relationships and Sportsmanship
Click here to register now! Come to one or come to all! We look forward to connecting with YOU!
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.
Ignite by 4-H
Who: All youth of high school age (14-18)
When: March 13-17
Where: Washington DC metro area at the Westin Washington D.C. Downtown Hotel/Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C.
Timeline: Applications need to be completed by Dec 23rd
Cost: The Maine 4-H Foundation has graciously funded the majority of the registration and travel costs for youth. Youth will be responsible for $300 towards the cost of the trip. We encourage youth to reach out to the County offices and programs to seek out additional funding support. If youth need help or assistance please have them contact tara.marble@maine.edu.
Spark your imagination and passion!
Ignite by 4-H, an inclusive teen event, returns March 2024 to Washington, D.C. Join us for four days of inspiring speakers, workshop sessions, activities, and entertainment. The summit will provide high-school-aged youth from across the country the opportunity to explore the best 4-H has to offer in STEM, Agriscience, and Healthy Living. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover exciting career paths, make connections, and create an action plan to ignite change in your community!
Other info can be seen on the official website here: https://events.4-h.org/ignite/home – Applications are on a Google Form here.
If there are any questions or concerns please contact tara.marble@maine.edu.
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/