Youth standing and looking up at Fort Knox
"Collecting Data Rocks! SPIN Club at Fort Knox"4-H Staff - Leah M

June 2025 4-H Newsletter

June 4, 2025 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

June 1 – First Day of Pride Month
June 2 – Summer Learning Series Registration Opens
June 5 – Market Lamb Intent to Sell at Fryburg Forms Due
June 10 – 4-H Leaders Association Meeting at Blue Hill Fairgrounds
June 13 + 14 – June Jamboree at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds!
June 19 – Office Closed for Juneteenth
June 21 – Blue Hill Public Library Oyster Farming Workshop (10:30 am -11:30 am)
June 30 – Animal Approval and Lease Forms Due in the Office
July 7 – Summer Learning Series Begins!

County News

Hancock County Extension Open House

A few youth and an adult using their hands to mix compost and clay for a seed bomb craft
4-H Staff - Leah M“It’s not an Extension Open House without your hands getting a little dirty”

The rain couldn’t possibly put a damper on our lovely afternoon at the Extension office. There were so many friendly faces sharing their love of Extension. Our Master Gardener Volunteer plant sale was successful, as was the Service Squad’s bake sale! Patrons visiting also got the chance to visit our UMaine touch tank, explore gardening resources, and learn about tick safety! Thank you to all the volunteers, youth, and staff who helped make the day a memorable one!

4-H Workshops

This month, join us for an ocean-inspired workshop at the Blue Hill Public Library. On Saturday, June 21, from 10:00 am – 11:30 am, Tess will lead a group through what it’s like to be an oyster farmer. Youth will engineer oyster cages, learn about biofouling, and see if they have what it takes to join the ranks of Maine’s amazing aquaculture workforce! Register now on the Blue Hill Public Library’s webpage.

4-H Foundation Annual Meeting

4-H youth standing to receive a scholarship with the 4-H Foundation Chair
4-H Staff - Carla Scocchi“Lots to celebrate at the 4-H Foundation Scholarship Luncheon”

The 4-H Foundation Annual Luncheon was a wonderful way for our staff and volunteers to celebrate the youth of Maine 4-H. We were especially thrilled to be there to support Hancock County’s very own Courtney H! It’s amazing that we get to recognize youth year after year for all the hard work they have done in and out of 4-H. Congratulations Courtney!

Congrats Grads!

We are pleased to recognize a Hancock County 4-H’er for their upcoming graduation! If you know this youth, please share a warm congratulations with them!

  • Courtney H, Horse of Course

Collecting Data Rocks!

Youth lined up above a piece of granite using spoons to scoop into drilled holes. One youth can be seen smiling widely.
4-H Staff - Leah M“Using dust spoons to clear out drill holes in the granite”

This SPIN Club has seriously rocked our world! Thank you to our volunteer leader, Dawn R, and GMRI for bringing this wonderful experience to some Hancock County Homeschoolers. Between the hands-on field trips, amazing data art our youth created, and first-hand knowledge from field specialists, we couldn’t dream of a better way to engage youth with the rich history granite has in Maine. If anyone is interested in learning more about the resources created through this project, please reach out to Leah at leah.mccluskey@maine.edu or call 207.667.8212.

Make Your Voice Heard – 4-H Annual Index Survey Now Open!

We’re inviting youth ages 12–18 to take part in the National 4-H Annual Index Survey—a brief, 8-minute survey that helps measure the impact of 4-H across the country. By participating, your child’s voice will help shape the future of 4-H in Maine and beyond.

Survey Deadline: June 30, 2025
Take the survey here: https://4hcouncil.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_envLlXgHZyRJGXs

By submitting the survey, you’re giving permission for your child to participate. Youth can choose to stop the survey at any time. Let’s make sure Maine youth are represented—thank you for supporting this important effort!

Hancock County 4-H Seasonal Compass

Ideas for enjoying June include visiting the coast, enjoying the summer solstice, building sandcastles, or swimming.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!

 

Club News

The service squad sitting at their craft and bake sale table helping patrons
4-H Staff - Leah M“The Service Squad representing 4-H at our Extension Open House!”

Service Squad: The club had a fantastic month together. Between loads of quality time baking/activity prepping for the Extension Open House and the actual event, the squad really let their teamwork skills shine! Through all their hard work, they were able to raise over $95 to save as club funds or put toward a future service endeavor. Thank you to everyone who helped support the Service Squad’s hard work, and to our club members for showing their community what 4-H is all about!

Pine Tree Pioneers: The club had a short but memorable meeting this month! With club leader Carla off to meet her new nephew, and club leader Leah on her way to run the county Style Revue event, the Pine Tree Pioneers met for a fun dinner meeting. Members learned how to make their own pizza. They floured their surfaces, stretched their dough, and added on loads of nutritious toppings. The best part, unanimously, was digging into our personalized pizzas and enjoying the product of our hard work!

State News

4-H Summer Learning Series – Register Now: Maine 4-H is back with another exciting year of hands-on virtual programming with the 4-H Summer Learning Series! There are workshops for all age ranges!

  • Cloverbuds can check out barnyard animals or animals under the sea!  Go from the garden to the kitchen to learning about the weather!
  • Youth ages 9 – 11 have lots of fun opportunities too!  From a day at the spa to designing a flood-resistant community, or go from embroidering a design to dissecting a squid or an owl pellet!  There are so many diverse options!
  • Ages 12 and up have plenty to do as well! Adulting 101 is back for another year of building relationships and learning life skills!  You could also learn to paint Ukrainian eggs or boost your babysitting skills.

Registration opens for enrolled Maine 4-H members on Friday, May 23, 2025, and then opens to all youth starting on June 2.  Registration is first-come, first-served – so sign up soon!

Adulting 101 flyer: meets wednesdays July 9,16, 23, and 30 from 4:00-5:30Adulting 101 is Back: This summer, we’re going to start packing our bags to hit the road to adulthood. Join teens from across the state in this virtual series designed to introduce real-world skills necessary for #adulting. Registration opens May 23rd through the Summer Learning Series, open to all Maine youth ages 13 to 18, and closes June 10 on the event webpage: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/summer-learning/

For more information or to request reasonable accommodation, contact 207.324.2814; erin.mcdonald1@maine.edu.

Fast, Affordable, and Impactful – Financial Literacy Training for Mainers: The Maine Business School and University of Maine Cooperative Extension have launched Finances in a Flash, a self-paced online course designed to boost financial literacy in under two hours. Priced at just $24.99, the course covers key financial management topics, including budgeting, cash flow management, emergency fund planning, and interpreting financial statements. It’s ideal for small business owners, new agricultural producers, aspiring entrepreneurs, freelancers, professionals, and students entering the workforce.

Participants who complete the course earn a Finances in a Flash micro-badge, a digital credential that signifies proficiency in the basics of financial literacy and business finance. These micro-badges support stackable, skill-based learning and align with the University of Maine System’s commitment to accessible, career-relevant education. Take a proactive step toward financial confidence—register now or contact Laura Wilson at laura.wilson@maine.eduor 207.581.2971 for more information. 

Save the Date – Maine 4-H State Dairy Show: The Maine State 4-H Dairy Show will be held on July 18- 20th at the Windsor Fairgrounds. All 4-H dairy project members are invited to attend. There will be a grilled cheese cookoff, a milkshake making contest, and a fitting contest on Saturday, followed by a show on Sunday. For more information, visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/dairy/maine-4-h-state-dairy-show or contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971; sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.

Smithsonian 4-History Project and 4-H Youth Have A Voice: We currently have openings for the Smithsonian 4-History Project as part of the 4-H program Youth Have A Voice. In this project, 4-H’ers will conduct research and interviews to learn more about their community and share their findings through a video project with support from 4-H leaders and the Smithsonian team. The project will last from August 2025 to March 2026. See the attached flyer for more information!

Additionally, we have openings in the “traditional” 4-H Youth Have a Voice program for Maine teens (14 -19 years old or entering high school in the fall) who are interested in taking a more active role in serving their local communities, the state, or the country. Participants will learn leadership skills and ways to take part in civic action by completing a service project on a topic of their interest. Topics can range from agriculture, aquaculture, STEM education, animal care, renewable energies, disaster preparation, environmental conservation, food security, and more.

Interested teens should be ready to work both independently and with groups of peers and adults. High school students can register for the program by completing a non-competitive application available on the program’s webpage. A three-credit Early College course in leadership development at UMaine may also be available for interested students.

If you have any questions, please free to contact Andrew Hudacs, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, (207) 581-8204, andrew.hudacs@maine.edu.

Leaders’ Meeting Minutes

4-H Leaders Association Meeting on May 13, 2025
Attendees: Lisa Carney, Terry Swazey, Leah McCluskey, Lee Sargent

Club Reports:

  • Horse of Course – will be going to visit Chubbs now that the mud is receding
  • The Service Squad – practiced the open house workshop making seed bombs, planned out the bake sale. 
  • Pine Tree Pioneers – made pizzas, talked about nutrition.
  • Jolly Juniors – Did a roadside cleanup.
  • Home Sweet Farm – made a club agreement, team building exercises.

Old Business:

  • Terry picked up the steer tickets. We saved quite a bit of money using plain paper and not having them wrapped in packs of 100, we will have to do that ourselves. Bangor Letter on Washington St in Bangor printed them very quickly for about half price (~$366). Leah can have the kids sell them this weekend at the Extension open house.
  • Style Review was great, and it had a really great turnout. Leah has receipts for Terry.
  • Camp Scholarships – We are waiting to see where to send the funds.
  • Scholarships – Applications have been scored. Need to vote, see email. 

New Business:

  • Larry King donated $200. Do we want to put it towards Jamboree or the scholarship fund? Need a vote, see email.
  • June Jamboree
    • Online 4-H registration is live, have 9 kids signed up so far. Public registration opens on the 19th. Closes on the 30th.
    • Food plans- go with sandwiches again. Need vegetarian and gluten-free options. Fruit, muffins for breakfast. Need to get water. Leah will get sandwiches from BJs. Plan amounts after registration closes.
    • Meeting the beginning of June? June 3rd at 6:30.
    • Use the June Leaders Meeting to set up the Fairgrounds for Jamboree? Meet at 5pm there.

Motion to adjourn at 7:40 pm.

Respectfully submitted by Lisa Carney, Secretary