Cooperative Extension in Hancock County

March 2026 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 | Volunteer News| Leaders’ Meeting Minutes

Upcoming Dates to Remember

March 11 – Ahoy Young Sailors at the Blue Hill Public Library (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
March 13 – Edible Soil Science at the Ellsworth Public Library (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm)
March 14 – Speak Up, Maine 4-H! Hancock County Showcase (10:00 am)
March 18 – Rescheduled Blue Hill Fishing Obstacle Course Workshop (3:30 – 4:30 pm)
March 18 – Leaders Association Meeting via Zoom (6:30 pm)
March 21 – Style Revue Workshop (2:00 pm – 4:00 pm)
March 23 – Deadline to register for Green Clover Gardeners
March 30 – Deadline to register for Virtual Touch Tank Workshop (see state news)
April 3 – Hancock County Extension Homemakers Scholarship Due to the Office
April 6 – Hancock County 4-H Leaders Association Scholarship Due to the Office
May 3 – Style Revue

County News

Local 4-H Workshops and Events

Ellsworth Public Library

Blue Hill Public Library

Ahoy Young Sailors – March 11, 2026 (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm)

Join Leah at the Blue Hill Public Library on March 11, from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm for a chance to design and engineer your very own mini vessels. Youth will put their boats to the test and learn what makes a sailboat sturdy. We can’t wait to see how these deck hands combine creativity and a splash of science!

Extension Office

Style Revue Workshop – March 21, 2026 (2:00 – 4:00 pm)

Brush off your sewing machines and pick out some fabric because it’s Style Revue Season! Join 4-H staff and volunteers at the Extension Office in Ellsworth for some hands-on sewing time with guidance. Whether you already have a project in mind or want to try your hand at the prepared craft we’ll bring, you’re sure to have a great time. Staff will also be available for knitting and crochet advice, so all fabric arts mediums are welcome to join! Let us know you’ll be there by filling out our short registration form.

Public Speaking!

Save the Date: All of our 4-H youth are invited to prepare for this year’s Hancock County 4-H Speak Up Showcase, which will be held on Saturday, March 14 at 10 am, at the Hancock County Cooperative Extension office. The state Speak Up Showcase will be held on Saturday, April 11th at the University of Maine in Orono. The snow date is Sunday, April 12. 

*NEW* SPIN Club! Green Clover Gardeners

“Learn to grow, in more ways than one, with Hancock County 4-H.”

Ages: 8 – 14

The Green Clover Gardeners is a 4-H Special Interest Club dedicated to learning the basics of gardening. This club will explore topics such as soil health, composting, environmental relationships in the garden, food safety, and more. Most importantly, this club will raise produce at the Hancock County Extension office gardens, in collaboration with Master Gardener Volunteers, to donate to local food pantries and the Maine Harvest For Hunger program.

Registration deadline: March 23, 2026

Please email Leah McCluskey at leah.mccluskey@maine.edu for registration instructions.

College Scholarships

• 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 amount up to $750. Download an application and submit it to the Extension Office.
  Deadline to apply:  Monday, April 6th, 2026. (PDF).

• Our Hancock County Extension Homemakers group is accepting scholarship applications for the 2026 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 download an application and submit it to the Extension Office. Deadline to apply: Friday, April 3rd, 2026. (PDF).

Club News

Fishing Club: This month, we discussed thermodynamics and the formation of ice on a body of water. A high-level topic, but a great concept to understand as we address safety and ice thickness. Mr. Jagels visited us to show clubbers various fishing gear required for ice fishing. This was helpful as the club took its first field trip to Silver Lake to participate in the ice fishing derby there. We had 5 youth and 5 adult helpers who navigated fishing in the cold for more than 4 hours. Youth learned how to measure ice thickness, clear the holes of ice, use a sounder to find the bottom, bait the hook with a shiner, and set the trap. Although several flags were sprung, the youth only caught 6 -10 fish, including yellow perch and pickerel species. Youth learned that seeing the flag and catching the fish can be a matter of wind, causing a false flag or properly setting the hook before reeling in the line. Two youth submitted 3 fish to the derby. Some youth also practiced jigging, ice-skated, and tried to stay warm inside the pop-up shelter. A wonderful time was had by all, and we are looking forward to the next time we can get on the ice.

Service Squad: This month, the Squad worked on a new skill for them – public speaking! Leah asked each of the youth to prepare a fun presentation of their choice to share with the club, and we had a blast! Before each presentation, Leah let us choose our “walk-up” music so we could build our confidence before showcasing what we put together. Olivia taught us how to make dirt cups, Noah taught us about the information you can glean from a nutrition label, and the others shared about their sparks. As a fun way to decompress, Leah brought in her switch, and we took turns competing in Mario Kart. It was a really fun day, and we’re excited to spend our next meeting brainstorming our next service project. Let us know if you have any ideas!

Lock, Stock, & Barrel: Archery sessions will begin on March 4th at 6:00 PM. Join us at the Blue Hill Rifle and Pistol Club, located on Range Road in Blue Hill. We hope to see you there!  

Horse of Course: In an exciting change of usually scheduled programming, Leah joined the Horse of Course club last month for an Arctic Animal workshop. Youth had the chance to learn about the different adaptations some of our winterised animals have in order to stay warm in extreme temperatures. We also used what we learned about adaptations to figure out what specialised characteristics certain horse species have. Did you know Shetland ponies are so short and fuzzy as a way for them to conserve heat?! It was a lot of fun to learn about horses and we are excited to keep learning more at our next meeting!

State News

• Cost: Free
• Ages: 8-13
• Dates/Time: This workshop will meet Monday April 13th, Wednesday April 15th, and Friday April 17th from 4:00 – 5:00 pm
• Registration Deadline: March 30, 2026
• Capacity: Limited to 8 youth

You can register here or contact leah.mccluskey@maine.edu for more information.

Central Maine School Garden Educators Symposium – Join fellow educators for a hands-on, idea-filled day focused on connecting students to birds, beneficial insects, and flowering plants through school gardens. The symposium features rotating bird-focused learning stations, practical seed-saving activities with students, and a lively lightning round of mini-sessions on cooking, bog gardens, garden clubs, and collaborative art. Afternoon sessions highlight pollinator protection, embracing insects in the garden, and a facilitated discussion on fundraising and volunteer engagement, followed by a creative flower dissection activity. The day wraps up with door prizes and a seed giveaway.

Theme: Birds, Bugs and Bloomscollage: monarch caterpillar on green plant,  youth working on nature journals, overview of a bee on pink flowers

• Dates/Time: March 28, 2026 (snow date March 29, 2026, same time), from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
• Location: Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Avenue, Bangor, Maine 04401
• Cost:$0, $25, $50. Select a payment option that best works for you.
• Capacity: Limited to 45

Registration is required to attend. Please contact Kate Garland (katherine.garland@maine.edu) to be added to a waitlist if registration is full. Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and rejuvenate your passion for garden education! Bring a bagged lunch; snacks and coffee provided.

Maine Science Festival: The Maine Science Festival will be held March 25-29 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. This FREE event includes a Field Trip Day for 7th- 8th graders, a Teen Tech Night, and Exploration Stations that include demonstrations and hands-on activities involving the sciences. Be sure to put it on your calendar because it really is a fun event!

For more information on the Maine Science Festival, please go to the website: mainesciencefestival.org/2026program

It’s Time to Think About Summer Camp!: Looking to take your Maine 4-H Experience to a new level? Check out the summer programs at your UMaine 4-H Camps! Opportunities for living in community, making new friends, building a sense of belonging, and honing your skills in a whole variety of program options such as, outdoor skills, shooting sports, STEM, creative arts, ecology, gardening, team work, and teen leadership. Each camp has scholarship opportunities to off-set tuition costs AND your County 4-H Programs have scholarships to attend camp too. One to three- week sessions available in both day and overnight settings. We hope to see you there!

• Blueberry Cove, Tenants Harbor in Knox County – June 21 through August 14, 2026.
• Bryant Pond, Bryant Pond in Oxford County – June 21 through August 14, 2026.
• Greenland Point, Princeton in Washington County – June 28 through July 31, 2026.
• Tanglewood, Lincolnville in Waldo County-  June 21 through August 21, 2026.

Bryant Pond and Greenland Point contact, Bethany: 207.665.2068
Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove contact, Emma: 207.789.5868

Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl – Save the Date: The 2026 Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl tryouts will be held on March 7th at Maine Farm Bureau building in Augusta, ME. The contest will start at 10:00 AM with the written exam, followed by the individual questions portion and then the buzzer rounds. This event will serve as the official tryout for the Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl Team. The top four eligible 4-H members will be selected to represent Maine 4-H at The Big E in the regional dairy quizbowl contest in September.

Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl tryouts are open to all enrolled 4-H dairy members ages 9-18. Youth will be divided into two age categories, Jr. ages 9-11 and Sr. ages 12-18.

If you plan on attending, please notify Sadee Mehuren via email at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu so that we can prepare for the event. More information is available online at extension.umaine.edu/4h/dairy/dairy-quizbowl/. For more information or a reasonable accommodation, please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.

Maine 4-H Sheep ESE Intent to Participate Form Now Available: The 2026 Maine 4-H Sheep ESE Intent to Participate Form is now available online and must be submitted by April 17th, 2026. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the Maine 4-H Sheep Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September (including teen leads).

The Eastern States Exhibition (Big E) 4-H Sheep Program brings together 4-H members from six states in Springfield, MA for three days of events that showcase their animals, knowledge and skills. Members must be 12-18 years old as of December 31, 2026 and have completed at least one year in a sheep project.

Please contact Megan Cook with any questions or for more information at megan.cook@maine.edu or 207-532-6548.

Volunteer News

March 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!

As a 4-H volunteer, you can incorporate simple actions to build belonging. Try out some of these ideas the next time you are working with club members or a group of youth:

• Know each young person’s name and call them by it.
  “Hi, Maria! Glad you’re here today!”

• Use icebreakers and team-building activities.
  These short activities spark fun, help youth learn about each other, and build early connections.

• Create safe spaces, including a shared set of ground rules.
  At the beginning of the year, ask the group: “What do we need to agree on so everyone feels respected and comfortable here?” Write down their ideas (like listening when others speak, no put-downs, etc.) and post the “Club Agreements” on the wall each meeting.

• Encourage engagement.
  Rotate leadership roles each meeting—timekeeper, snack helper, or discussion leader—so every youth has a chance to contribute and feel ownership.

• Utilize discussions to help youth learn from one another.
  After a project activity, ask open-ended questions like, “What worked well in your group? What was challenging? What would you try differently next time?” Then have youth share with a partner or small group before bringing answers back to the whole club.

• Cultivate shared experiences.
  Plan a simple community service project, like making thank-you cards for local first responders, where all members contribute to a common goal. Celebrate afterward with group photos and a reflection about what they accomplished together.

4-H Volunteer Huddle: Join us for a short “gather and learn session” to help you up your game. We meet on the first Friday of each month from 12:00-12:30 pm via Zoom. Whether you are an experienced 4-H volunteer or just getting started, there’s something for everyone. We’d love to see you there! No registration required!

March 6, 2026- Prepare for the Fair
This 4-H volunteer information session will highlight how mentors can guide youth in preparing their animals and themselves for a successful fair experience. Volunteers will learn ways to support members with showmanship skills, animal care, and confidence in the show ring.

April 3, 2026- Doing to Understanding: Applying Experiential Learning in 4-H Clubs
Learn how to guide youth through hands-on experiences followed by purposeful reflection, helping them build confidence, critical thinking, and leadership skills.

Please note: The Zoom link and password will be emailed to all enrolled 4-H volunteers, or you can email Tara Wood tara.a.wood@maine.edu to request it.

4-H Volunteer Connections- Moving into a New Era of Leadership with Teens

March 18, 2026 6:30 – 8:00 pm
In this session, you will learn how to partner with teen leaders to support the 4-H agenda. We’ll explore strategies for collaboration and share real-world examples from Maryland and D.C. 4-H programs. Register here!

Mark your calendars and save the date! Saturday, November 7th! The Maine 4-H Volunteer Summit- More details to come in the upcoming months, but we promise food, fun, connection, and learning! You won’t want to miss it!

Leaders’ Meeting Minutes

In person

Attendees: Lisa Carney, Leah McCluskey, Brenda Jordan, Dawn Roberto, Andrea Mahoney, Terry Swazey, and Lee Sargent

The Treasurer’s report for January was accepted as read. Terry had a question about a new withholding on the statement “Withdrawal IRS Withholding Federal”. YTD it has taken ~$4.07.

October minutes were accepted as written in the newsletter.

Club Reports:

• 4-H Fishing Club – Went to a fishing derby on Silver Lake on February 15th. Lots of skating too! Many fish were caught. Next meeting on the 27th, have elected officers, want to fundraise.Want to go striper fishing!
• Service Squad- Doing public speaking as a club. Six kids presenting!
• Horse of Course- did an “Arctic Animals” activity and a horse adaptations activity with Leah; there are two new members.

Old Business:

• Building Insurance
  • Previously used Grindle insurance, but they have been absorbed by Cross Insurance. The previous building replacement value for the Food Booth and Exhibit Hall was $10,000. Insurance costs went from ~$500 to $2500 this year. Terry got just liability for $721 (had an October deadline). Need to decide before this October if we want to reinstate replacement insurance.
• Endowment Funding
  • Met with Susan to discuss college scholarship endowment fund. It is run by the Maine 4H Foundation, and needs a minimum of $20,000. They match funds.
  • Maybe we could earmark those funds for scholarships.
  • Just plan to put the money earned from Steer tickets/FB towards the fund.
• County public speaking- should be good on judges. Will be held at the Extension Office on March 14th.

New Business:

• We don’t have a steer for the year. Anyone with a lead can talk to the LA.
• Lee is looking for help running the BHF Horse Show this labor day weekend.
• Style Revue
  • Ebb and Flow in Blue Hill is a donation-based craft shop in the old Co-op building. Might be nice to hold a workshop there.
  • Sunday May 3rd at 1pm.
  • Sewing workshop on March 21st 2-4pm at the Extension office.
• June Jamboree – weekend of the 12th and 13th.
• In person meeting dates: April (starts at 6:15 for training), June 10th at 4:30 at the fairgrounds, July and October

Motion to adjourn at 8:00 pm, seconded and approved.

Respectfully submitted by Lisa Carney, Secretary