Young boy and girl using a syringe to drop paint into a test tube
Seaweed lava lamp science

March 2023 4-H Newsletter

March 2, 2023 4-H News

4-H Happenings

A monthly newsletter for Hancock County 4-H Members

Table of Contents

Upcoming Dates| County News | Club News | State News | Leaders Meeting Minutes

Upcoming Dates to Remember

March 3 – Deadline to Sign Up for 4-H Page Day in Augusta
March 11 – 10:00 am – 3:00 pm County Public Speaking Tournament
March 15 – 6:30 pm Leader’s Meeting (Hybrid)
March 17 – After School Workshop at Ellsworth Library 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
March 22-25 – Maine Science Festival
March 23 – 8:30 am- 3:30 pm 4-H Page Day in Augusta
March 24 – Deadline to enroll for the Youth Identity Summit in Portland
April 1 – Hancock County Leaders Association Scholarship Deadline
April 1 – 8:45 am – 3:30 pm Youth Identity Summit in Portland (registration required)
April 1 – Deadline for ESE Sheep Team Participation
April 7 – Hancock County Extension Homemakers Scholarship Deadline
April 8 – State Public Speaking Competition

County News

Attention Seniors! Scholarships Available

  • Our Hancock County Extension Homemakers group is accepting scholarship applications for the 2023 academic year.  A scholarship in the amount of $400 will be awarded to a deserving Hancock County senior who will be enrolling full-time in a college or school. Application forms can be obtained at your local high school guidance office or the Hancock County Extension Office. Deadline to apply:  April 7th, 2023
  • Merit-based college scholarships are available to past and present members of Hancock County 4-H thanks to the generous support of the Hancock County 4-H Leaders Association. Recipients must complete an application, submit all required paperwork, and meet merit-based criteria in order to be eligible for a scholarship, which may vary in an amount up to $750. Download an application and submit it to the Extension Office by April 1, 2023. This deadline has passed.

Public Speaking Tournament

Attention Hancock County! Do you have youth that LOVE to talk? Or maybe some kids who want to step out of their comfort zone? Sign them up for our Public Speaking Tournament!

Hancock County will be hosting a Public Speaking Tournament on Saturday, March 11 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Youth can choose to give a demonstration or illustrated talk. They can participate in these alone or can choose to do it as a team (or both!).

Learn more about these categories on the Hancock County Public Speaking Website. You can also find our sign-up form there! For any questions or concerns contact the Extension Office at 207.667.8212 or email extension.hancock@maine.edu. Be sure to also save the date, April 8th, for the State Public Speaking Tournament in Orono!

Kids Can Grow 

The Kids Can Grow program is returning to Hancock Maine Coast Heritage Trust LogoCounty! Our Master Gardener Volunteers are partnering with Maine Coast Heritage Trust to welcome youth back to their gardens in Somesville!

This program is designed for youth aged 7-12 on or around MDI. It aims to teach participants basic gardening techniques, food safety and nutrition skills, and how our inputs may affect our harvest.

This program does come with a cost of $20 per participant. Space is limited to 16 youth on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, or to register now, visit the Hancock County Kids Can Grow website.

After School Workshops

Ellsworth Public Library LogoWe are happy to announce that the Ellsworth Public Library is opening its doors to after school workshops again, and Hancock County 4-H will be there! Every Friday from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm the library will offer workshops for elementary and middle school youth.  On the 3rd Friday of every month, 4-H will be the featured presenter. Last month, Miss Leah taught youth how to make seaweed lava lamps. This month, Ms. Sue will lead a planting activity where youth will get to grow and decorate their very own plant pets. Our topics will change from month to month so be sure to check in with the library to see our offerings!

Hurricane Island Summer Science Programs

We cannot help but share about this amazing program for our county members interested in ocean ecology and aquaculture. Hurricane Island is offering summer workshops for middle and high school aged students. This event has passed.

Youth Identity Summit

Join high school students from across the region at the seventh annual New England Youth Identity Summit! The full-day program features inspiring speakers, student-led workshops, dialogue sessions, and performances designed to build connections within and across communities. 

The Summit will be held in Portland at Waynflete School from 8:45 am to 3:30 pm. Admission is free and lunch is provided. You can learn more about the event and register on their website.

Tyler App Challenge

Is your child 13 or older and interested in app building? Well, make sure they take advantage of their talents and enter this awesome state-wide challenge for the chance to win prizes and scholarships totaling $10,000. Visit the Tyler Technologies website to learn more about how to enter and other restrictions. The deadline to submit is March 31, 2023, so get to work!

Maine CDC Poster Contest

Each year, Maine CDC hosts an annual Lyme Disease Awareness Month poster contest for K-8th graders in Maine. Ticks and tickborne diseases are an ever-increasing threat, especially among children in this age group. The topic of this year’s contest is “Tick Free ME.” Posters will be accepted through Friday, April 28, 2023. Only one poster per participant will be accepted and posters must be accompanied by a signed release waiver. Winners in each category receive a one-day park pass to any Maine State Park for their family and tick removal kits for their classroom. One grand-prize winning poster will be chosen to feature as the 2023 Lyme Disease Awareness poster for Maine CDC. Visit the Maine CDC website to see last year’s submissions.

Club News

Lock Stock and Barrel

Lock, Stock, and Barrel is still accepting new youth into their archery program. The class meets on Wednesdays from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Blue Hill Rifle and Pistol Club. Any 4-H’ers aged 9 and up are welcome to join! For questions call Becky, the club leader, at 207-567-3066.

Be sure to check out the Leaders Association meeting minutes, and we’re grateful for our 4-H club leaders and their leadership in supporting our community. Lots of exciting things happening, especially with the Blue Hill Fair!

State News

4-H Page Day in Augusta – March 23, 2023 – Sign Up Now!

Date: March 23, 2023
Where: Augusta, Maine State Legislature & First Amendment Museum
Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Deadline: First come, first serve, March 3, 2023

UMaine Day at the Legislature, Thursday, March 23, is approaching. It’s a day when Cooperative Extension gets to highlight our awesome programs, and 4-H is one of the best! It’s also a time for youth to get actively involved in their democracy, to see how and who makes decisions that impact our state and to be involved in that process themselves. 4-Hers age 13 or older are encouraged to serve as Honorary Pages. The Maine 4-H program has up to 22 slots for Honorary Pages and registration is first come, first serve with a deadline of March 3.

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 pictures and an orientation. Then at 9:00 am, we will divide our group with one going to the House and the other to the Senate where each group will receive their instructions. The session will begin by 10:00 am and will likely conclude around 12:30 pm, but the timing is never certain. Lunch will be on your own.

NEW: First Amendment Museum- Supreme Court in Action! The Museum will host our group from 1:30-3:30 pm with a free interactive learning series that places each of us into different roles within the U.S. Supreme Court. You will get real-life court cases to argue for or against, to make a ruling, and to report on, to get an in-depth look at what happens when free speech, the courts, and citizens come together. Democracy can be messy, so let’s dig in!

If you are interested in serving as a page, please register via the online form. If you have questions or would like to request an accommodation please do so by March 3 to Alisha Targonski at alisha.r.targonski@maine.edu. Thank you!

Building Background on Vernal Pools

Although spring may seem like a lifetime away, it is just around the corner! This means that vernal pools will be full of life soon. Join fellow practitioners to learn about content and activities around vernal pools! Gabby Brodek, Washington County 4-H Youth Development Professional, and Dr. Rachel Wolf, a learning science researcher at Stanford University, are facilitating a 90-minute virtual session for adults where you will build background knowledge, discuss connections to climate science, and explore example activities to support youth learning around vernal pools.

These virtual sessions will be held on Monday, March 6, 3:30-5 pm and Friday, March 10, 11-12:30 pm, EST. Each session will review the same material. This event has passed.

This information session is a component of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s Spring Learning Theme: Vernal Pools, a product of Learning Ecosystems Northeast (LENE), a NASA-funded collaborative focused on building partnerships and pathways that provide youth with opportunities to engage in locally relevant learning experiences around climate and data science.

Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)

Start making plans now to visit our Nation’s Capitol during the week of June 24 – 30, 2023. CWF is a leadership program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 14 to 18. Delegations of 4-Hers from across the country spend six days touring the city and attending leadership skill-building workshops. This summer, the Maine delegation will travel down on June 24 and travel home on June 30. Youth will be staying in a hotel just outside of the DC limits. Visiting the most popular sites in Washington, DC will be a part of the trip. There is a mandatory orientation for Maine delegates on April 29, 2023.  For more information visit https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/annual-events/citizenship-washington-focus/.  Hancock County has an application process for youth interested in participating in CWF. Contact Andrea Mahoney at andrea.mahoney@maine.edu for details on how to apply.  Two scholarships will be available to help with tuition to attend.   All county offices have different criteria/dates to apply.

Apply Now for National 4-H Trips

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 the National 4-H Council at Conference. To learn more about these trips, visit https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/national-trips/.

New for 2023: Complete and submit your application and supplemental materials online!

Any Maine 4-H Youth, ages 14 to 18, is eligible to apply. Applicants must be current Maine 4-H members both at the time of application and the time of the actual trip. Application packets must be submitted online, or sent to your county office and postmarked by April 25, 2023. Interview dates will be the second week of May 2023.  If you have any questions, please contact Heidi Palmer at 207.310.4235 or heidi.thuotte@maine.edu.

The 2023 National 4-H Congress is November 24 – 30, 2023 in Atlanta GA with an orientation for the trip on October 21, 2023. The 2024 National 4-H Conference has not yet been announced, but will likely take place in April of 2024 in Washington, DC., and orientation for that trip will be announced to those selected. Leaders and office staff, if you have senior members in your clubs, please encourage them to participate. They are amazing trips!

Public Speaking Online Workshop

The Maine 4-H Communication Science Team invites all enrolled 4-H members to an open-to-all workshop on March 15 from 6 – 7 pm. Participants will learn about using posters and slide decks to enhance their presentations, as well as have an opportunity to practice different parts of their own presentation for informal feedback. Please contact cathy.gray@maine.edu for more information. Register here online.

Western/Central Regional Public Speaking Contest

The Western/Central Regional Public Speaking Contest is now open for youth from all counties to register. The event will be on March 25, with a snow date of March 26 at the Jewett Hall Auditorium on the University of Maine Augusta Campus (UMA). The event will begin with registration at 10:00 am and last until about 3:00 pm.

Cloverbuds are welcome to join in!  This event will also be a qualifying event for the State Public Speaking Contest in April. Lunch will be on your own, or you can bring a bag lunch to enjoy during our break. Register online. Reach out to Tara Marble with any questions at tara.marble@maine.edu.

Maine 4-H Ag Ambassador and Ag Symposium- Teens sign up now!

For teens that are 13-18 years old, we invite you to join us for our Ag Ambassador program this spring! This will be an opportunity to connect with other teens from around the state to explore and share your interests in the Maine food system, agriculture, climate change, environmental justice, and where all these interests collide. The spring 2023 cohort will meet from 3:30-5:00 pm on Tuesday afternoons from March 7 to April 18 on zoom with an in-person celebratory luncheon in Orono for families on April 20. The luncheon will kick off our overnight Teen Ag Symposium at the UMaine Orono campus on April 20 and April 21. This will be a hands-on exploration of many aspects of the Maine food system and the research and education happening at the University.

Additional details about the program can be found on the program website. To register, visit the event website. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Sadee Mehuren; 207.342.5971 or extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu.

ESE Sheep Team Intent Form

The 2023 Maine 4-H ESE Sheep Team intent to participate form is now available online. If you are interested in participating on the team, the form must be submitted to Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or mailed to the Waldo County Cooperative Extension office by April 1, 2023. At ESE, the team, along with teams from other New England states, show their sheep and participate in a sheep-blocking contest. Together the team prepares an educational display and competes in knowledge contests against the other states. To be eligible you must have participated in a 4-H sheep project for at least one year and be at least 12 years old as of December 31, 2022.

Please contact Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or 207.342.5971 for more information.

2023 4-H Volunteer Training Opportunities

As we get ready for the new 4-H year, we are looking forward to offering a variety of learning experiences (both in-person and virtual) for our 4-H volunteers. Sessions are free of charge but require registration. Some sessions have limited space. Visit the 4-H Volunteer Calendar of Training Opportunities to learn more and register! 

New Project Records are HERE!

Co-designed with Maine 4-H volunteers, youth, and staff; these project records have been designed to best serve the needs of Maine youth. Please visit our newly designed project record website. Stay tuned for upcoming trainings. Please contact your county 4-H staff with questions.

Save the Date! Upcoming Statewide Events

  • State Public Speaking Tournament 
    Our state public speaking tournament will be held on April 8, 2023, at DP Corbett Hall on the University of Maine campus. Youth must qualify for this event by achieving a score of 78 or higher at their county or regional tournament. Check the website or with your county 4-H staff to find out when your county tournament will be held. 
  • 4-H Dairy Judging and State Show!
    The Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Contest will take place on May 6th, 2023 at Hardy Farm in Farmington, ME, and Silver Valley Farm in New Sharon, ME. The contest is open to all enrolled dairy members and will serve as the official tryouts for the Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Team. The Maine State 4-H Dairy Show will take place on July 22nd and 23rd at the Windsor Fairgrounds in Windsor, ME. The contest is open to all 4-H members who want to participate and will include educational workshops, a fitting contest, a grilled cheese contest, and more! For more information on upcoming 4-H dairy events visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/dairy or contact sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971
  • Maine 4-H Days
    On July 21-22, we’re back for fun times, workshops, overnight camping, and more at the Windsor Fairgrounds in Kennebec County! More information to come, so save the dates! 

Leaders’ Meeting Minutes

Hancock County 4-H Leaders Meeting of February 15, 2023

–Zoom Meeting–

Present- Lisa Carney, Brenda Jordan, Joannie Jodrey, Lisa Reilich, Elaine Gokey, Jo Ann Joray, Terry Swazey, Kristin Beauchamp of Lone Spruce Farm, and office staff Leah McCluskey and Carla Scocchi. (8)

The Secretary’s and Treasurer’s reports for January were accepted as written and read.

Club reports:

  • Horse of Course will meet over February vacation.

Old Business:

  • Steer- will cost $1300, grain around $700, hay around $300.
  • Horse panels – we have 40, we paid 75 each, used them once, they now sell for $119. Motion made and seconded to sell. Terry will contact the fair about selling them.

New Business:

  • Public Speaking- Donnie E will be a judge, and Terry can be a backup judge. Need three. Only have a few kids signed up so far. Lisa R did a great job with the workshop.
  • Style review- Leah emailed some people but they are not interested. 
  • Decided on a theme for the year: “4-H: the Stepping Stones to Life!”
  • Budget- add a scholarship for 4-H related activities in lieu of Tanglewood/4H at UMaine/4H Summit etc. Motion to give the office $1000, seconded and passed. Some adjustments need to be looked at and voted on next month.
  • Government Days- is it happening this year? There is a page program, Brenda will check.
  • Photo Contest- need to increase the budget to cover printing the pictures; maybe $300?
  • Scholarship- change in leadership at UMaine, may be a good time to revisit having the scholarships run by the Maine 4-H Foundation. They may match funds. Carla suggests bringing it up to the new director when she takes office. Increase amount- motion to increase to $750; seconded and passed. 
  • Brenda will be unavailable the second Tuesday of March for the meeting, switching it to Wednesday the 15th instead. Brenda will also be unavailable the scheduled meeting date in April, switching it to the 4th.

Office Business:

  • Blue Hill Fair
    • Carla had a great meeting with Erik and Becky of the Blue Hill Fair. They are completely revamping the fair book and 4H will print their own packet for the exhibit hall stuff (which will be available online on the fair website and ours). The 4-H shows will still be in the book.
    • They are renovating the livestock arena this summer, so June Jamboree won’t be at the Fairgrounds this year.
    • Also discussed raising the premiums for exhibit hall entries!
    • Erik would like to see us renovate the exhibit hall, maybe cut a hole in the side facing the food booth? Would need to find volunteers to do the work. Have handprints in concrete to create a pathway.
    • Cake contest- The beef cookout isn’t happening anymore, so what do we want to do instead? Erik wants more interactive displays. Change it up? Jo Ann has lots of ideas from her time in CT 4-H.
  • Open Farm Day
    • Kristin gets hundreds of people at her open farm day; we could combine with our 4-H Open House. Scheduled for Sunday, July 23rd. Kristin will submit an event description.

Adjourned at 7:43

Respectfully submitted by Lisa Carney, Secretary