March 2025 4-H Newsletter
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 – Maine 4-H Foundation Scholarship Deadline
March 7 – Last day to register for Page Day (See State News)
March 11 – 4-H Leaders Meeting, 6:30 pm
March 15 – Speak Up, Maine 4-H Showcase in Hancock County, 10:00-2:00 pm
March 18 – Page Day in Augusta
March 31 – Last day to Register for Style Revue
April 4 – Extension Homemakers Scholarship Due to Office
April 5 – State Public Speaking Tournament in Orono
April 7 – Hancock County Leader’s Association Scholarship Due to Office
County News
Speak Up, Maine 4-H: Showcase Your Spark!
Our county showcase is right around the corner! We hope all our participants are excited and practicing their talks because we can’t wait to learn about their topic of choice. If you missed our registration deadline, and are interested in participating, please reach out to Leah at leah.mccluskey@maine.edu
As a reminder, the event will begin at 10:00 am at Surry Elementary School on March 15, 2025. A catered lunch will be available, but you are welcome to bring along your own food if desired.
The state showcase will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the University of Maine in Orono. The snow date is Sunday, April 6.
Fun With 4-H on February Break: Update!
Whew, what a whirlwind of a week! We had so much fun creating, learning, and taking time to rest with you all this February break. Between the crafty minds at the Style Revue workshop, science explorers at the Blue Hill Public Library, and the exciting laughter brought on by movie night, our back classroom was filled with so much joy. Thank you to all the volunteers, guardians, and youth who made it happen!
Style Revue
Attention 4-H Members and Leaders! Have you been sewing, knitting, or crocheting this winter? Or maybe you have created a project out of recycled items to make something new? Maybe you have wanted to start a new project and have been looking for inspiration? The time to show off your creations is now! Style Revue is an annual contest for all sewers, knitters, crocheters, or embellishers to share their work! This event is open to 4-H members of all ages in Hancock County.
Those who would like to participate can get started now by registering and checking out our new guidelines here!
Save the Date: Style Revue will take place on Friday, May 2, with a dress rehearsal on May 1. Be sure to register by the March 31 deadline! Location to be determined!
Hancock County 4-H Seasonal Compass
Discover the wonders of Maine’s changing seasons with the “Hancock County 4-H Seasonal Compass.”
Each month, we’ll focus on a different aspect of Maine’s seasonal cycle, engaging in activities that promote Head (learning and thinking), Heart (caring and relating), Hands (giving and working), and Health (living and being). From exploring winter wildlife to harvesting fall crops, there’s something for everyone!
Scholarships
- Our Hancock County Extension Homemakers group is accepting scholarship applications. 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 4, 2025 (PDF).
- 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 of up to $750. Download an application and submit it to the Extension Office.
Deadline to apply: April 7, 2025 (PDF).
Club News
Service Squad: At our first February meeting we talked about planning a game night. We think having a few stations with different game styles would be a great way to include everyone in the county. For the remainder of our meeting, we focused on team building and learning about each others sparks. Some of the sparks mentioned were dance, Dungeons and Dragons, robotics, Pokemon, and the Wings of Fire and Big Nate Book Series. It was cool to see how much we have in common!
As we begin to plan our game night, we want to know what games you recommend including. Let us know by emailing leah.mccluskey@maine.edu.
At our last meeting, the squad took some time to plan ways to get involved with the Extension Office’s Open House in May. We are thinking of doing some type of fundraiser for our club, and we also want to offer a craft for the public!
Pine Tree Pioneers: The Pine Tree Pioneers took a step into the world of cozy crafting at our last meeting by creating fleece tie pillows. The members got to select fun fabric patterns, practiced tracing a stencil, learned how to make even cuts, and tied their whole project together before stuffing it for a perfectly plush end product!
Club members also took some time to enjoy the winter weather by checking in on the chickens and finishing their task with an impromptu sledding break! The snow was packed down just right for a few speedy trips down the hill.
State News
Save the Date – 4-H Summer Learning Series: This year, the 4-H Summer Learning Series will take place from July 7 – August 8. Volunteers and staff work together to provide high-quality, hands-on, experiential learning experiences via Zoom. For most workshops, materials are mailed to participants ahead of time, making it even easier (and less expensive) to participate! Workshops and Registration will go live on May 23, 2025. For volunteers interested in presenting workshops, information will be updated in early March. Sign up for updates on our website.
4-H Page Day in Augusta – Sign up Now: An opportunity to participate in 4-H Page Day is being offered on Tuesday, March 18. It is Maine Agriculture Policy Day in the Maine Legislature, a time dedicated to celebrating the hardworking farmers, producers, and agricultural leaders who sustain Maine’s economy and rural heritage. 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 20 slots for Honorary Pages and registration is first come, first serve with a deadline of March 7.
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 9:00am we will divide our group with one going to the House and the other to the Senate where each group will receive their instructions. Session will begin by 10:00am and will likely conclude around 12:30pm, but the timing is never certain. Lunch will be on your own.
Date: March 18, 2025
Where: Augusta Maine State Legislature
Time: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Deadline: First come, first serve, March 7
If you are interested in serving as a page – please complete this form.
If you have questions or would like to request an accommodation, please do so by March 7 by contacting Karen Giles, karen.giles@maine.edu. Thank you!
Become a 4-H Tick Project Mentor: We are looking for volunteers to guide youth in learning about ticks and community science through the 4-H Tick Project.
Mentors will:
- Facilitate hands-on learning experiences through 4-H activities in classrooms, after-school programs, and/or community events.
- Model tick collection protocols and identification techniques.
- Share best practices for tick safety with young people.
- Make a valuable contribution to their communities.
No prior experience with tick science is required. The training will provide all the necessary knowledge and resources. This opportunity requires volunteers to work with educators and youth in various learning environments, including outdoors in tick habitats.
For more details and to register for the training, please visit: extension.umaine.edu/hancock/tick-project/volunteer. The deadline to register for the training is March 30, 2025.
Summer Camp at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove: Registration for Summer Programs at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove 4-H Camps is now open! We would love to see you at one of our 4-H Camps this summer! 1 and 2-week overnight camps, day camps, outdoor trips, and teen leadership camps are open for anyone to attend. This is a great opportunity to diversify your 4-H experience and continue building awesome skills. Scholarships are available from the Camps and the 4-H Foundation to help with tuition costs.
Some sessions fill up fast! To start planning your summer experience, please check out the program pages on our website which have more information and dates. We are excited to welcome you to the Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove Family! For questions, please email or call Emma at the contact information below.
Website: www.umaine.edu/tanglewood
Email: extension.tanglewood4h@maine.edu
Phone: 207.789.5868
4-H Volunteer Connections – Register Today: We are offering virtual interactive sessions this winter for all 4-H volunteers. Join us for regional training and networking opportunities with 4-H volunteers from our 13 states in the North East Region!
Session topics include the following:
- Growing Beyond the Ribbon – March 19, 2025 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Sessions are free, but you must register! Questions? Reach out to Jen Lobley at jennifer.lobley@maine.edu. We hope to see you there!
2025 Engineering Week Expo: The Maine Engineering Promotional Council (MEPC) Engineering Expo will be held on Saturday, March 8th, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the University of Maine Field House in Orono. This family-friendly FREE event invites the community to explore the world of engineering through demonstrations and hands-on activities. The 4-H Science and Engineering Center will be there along with Maine engineering firms, schools, government agencies, and societies who are invested in engaging young minds in career pathways involving engineering. For more information on the Engineering Expo, please go to the website: https://www.engineeringme.com/expo.
Maine Science Festival: The Maine Science Festival will be held March 19-23 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. This FREE event includes a wide variety of hands-on, science-focused programs for youth. For more information on the Maine Science Festival and to register for workshops, please visit their website.
4-H Science Toolkits: Maine 4-H has a lending library of 4-H Science toolkits. These come with activities and materials around a variety of topics. Recent additions include:
– eBird Explorers, exploring Ornithology for Cloverbuds
– Harmful and Shifting Species, which examines species impacting the Maine coast
– Power Protectors, which involves exploring energy use and an introduction to renewable energy through engineering design challenges.
Reach out to your local 4-H staff person or email 4-HScience@maine.edu to make a reservation or with any questions.
Leaders’ Meeting Minutes
Hancock County 4-H Leaders Meeting of February 11, 2025
Attendees: Lisa Carney, Terry Swazey, Leah McCluskey, Andrea Mahoney, Elaine Gokey, Dawn Roberto, Lee Sargent, Joannie Jodrey
Secretary’s and Treasurer’s Reports
- Secretaries Report- motion to accept as written in the Newsletter; seconded and approved.
- Treasurer’s Report – $26,422.23 in savings/ $1712.48 in checking/ $2232.63 in Tyler Baez acct/ and $4,965.47 in the college scholarship for a total $35,333.57. Expenses paid out last month $1000 to the following: Zoe S for college scholarship, Office Expenses and Maine 4-H Foundation donation, $600 for newsletter postage for 2024 – 2025, and Andrea $96.31 for Cloverfest supplies. Transferred $4000 from savings to checking to cover checks.
Club Reports
- Horse of Course has not met yet this month.
- The Service Squad- catch-up meeting thinking about June Jamboree, what non-profits they might want to fundraise from (Community closet, Camp Capella, a reptile benefit, and building a little free library were all ideas they expressed interest in). Excited for movie night. Worked on T-shirt design for June Jamboree.
Old Business
- Scholarships
- Susan Jennings’s (current director) recommendation – Setting up an endowment with the Maine 4-H Foundation.
- Fundraising $20,000-30,000 guarantees a $1,000-1,500 scholarship
- The foundation matches $6,000 on the $20,000 capital
- The account never dips below the initial capital raised, 4-H foundation will cover the cost of the scholarship on “bad” years
- Ideas for purposeful fundraising?
- Car washes
- Bake sales
- Donations from businesses
- Ask Waldo county what they’re doing?
- Angela updated the website and the 2025 recommendation form is there now
- Susan Jennings’s (current director) recommendation – Setting up an endowment with the Maine 4-H Foundation.
- June Jamboree Updates
- Terry secured the fairgrounds for the 13th-14th
- Porta potties secured, costs $375
- Andrea updating presenter form and it will be sent out soon
- Washington and Penobscot are excited to be involved
- Public Speaking
- Logistics: March 15th, starts at 10:00 at Surry Elementary
- Set up at 9:00?
- Judges: Lee, Emma, and Tess
- Timers: Andrea and Jane
- Lunch: Andrea
- Will need to figure out how many to order once we have an accurate head count (two if same number of families register)
- Terry will get chips
- Logistics: March 15th, starts at 10:00 at Surry Elementary
New Business
- Style Revue
- Workshop – Feb 20th, 1:30-3:30
- No sign-ups yet…
- Who is attending?
- What’s the plan? Do you need Leah to pick up any supplies?
- Showcase
- Where – Undecided
- When – May 1 for dress rehearsal, May 2nd for Style Revue? Had food at the event last year, 6:30-8:00.
- Workshop – Feb 20th, 1:30-3:30
- State Public Speaking
- Logistics: April 5th, starts at 8:00 in Orono
- Is anyone available to help and if so, what role would you like to play?
- Terry and Lee will help
Office Business
- Movie night- Friday, February 21st at the office.
- No sign-ups yet
- Leah will purchase supplies once the date draws closer
- Egg Business is back! Tell your kids 🙂
- Touch Tank updates
- Open house on May 17th
- Civil rights reminder- Leah read it for us. She will email it to Brenda to sign off for our group.
Motion to adjourn at 7:30pm
Respectfully submitted by Lisa Carney, Secretary