4-H After School

Library Programs

Blue Hill Public Library

Fish Farm Fun – March 18, 2026 (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm) Rescheduled!
Splish Splash! Do you have what it takes to be a fish farmer? Come join Tess from the University of Maine 4-H to be the next future fish farmer!  On March 18, from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm at the Blue Hill Public Library, youth will have a chance to test their fish-herding skills with a fintastic hands-on activity. We’ll collect, test, and decipher if the water quality of mystery samples is good enough for our beloved pet fish. Youth will also walk away with some basic knowledge about fish health! What a way to spend an afternoon!

Celebrating Seaweed Month! – April 15, 2026 (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
Close your eyes and picture an underwater forest with golden kelp flowing through the currents. Did you know we grow, harvest, and use this beautiful aquatic plant in products all around us? Join Tess from the University of Maine 4-H on April 15, from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm at the Blue Hill Public Library, for this interactive workshop where we will learn about how we grow and use kelp in our daily lives. Participants will experiment with seaweed and harness their creativity to make their own seaweed squishies (alginate creatures)!

All Caught Up – May 13, 2026 (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
Grab your fishing nets and board the boat because it’s time to catch some fish… and hopefully nothing else! Join Leah at the Blue Hill Public Library on May 13, 2026, from 3:30 – 4:30 pm, for a fishing simulation where youth will learn all about bycatch – what it is, how it happens, and how to avoid it.

Trophic Art – June 17, 2026 (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
Did you know that the tiniest piece of algae can completely change the life of a full-grown shark? The critters at the bottom of our food chain are vital to the health of all animals in an ecosystem. In this workshop, youth will get the chance to design their own trophic level art, combining science with creativity! You can join Leah from 3:30 – 4:30 pm on June 17, 2026, at the Blue Hill Library, for this crafty hour of fun!

Ellsworth Public Library

Edible Soil Science – March 13, 2026 (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm)
Join us at the Ellsworth Public Library on March 13, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm to explore the fascinating layers of soil through hands-on learning and tasty fun! Participants will build “cups of dirt” using household foods to represent each layer, discovering how soil supports plants, animals, and our whole ecosystem. A delicious way to dig into science!
For allergen information, please contact Leah at leah.mccluskey@maine.edu or call 207.667.8212.
Traveling Wings Workshop – April 10, 2026 (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm)
Do you hear that!? There are bird calls in the air! Our feathered friends are beginning their long journeys back to Maine, and we’re ready to welcome them! Join Leah at the Ellsworth Public Library on April 10, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, to dive into a bird migration data project and craft. Youth will create their own welcoming feeders, and learn about some of the common birdy faces they may see gathering for the warmer season.
Southwest Harbor Public Library
Insect Olympics–April 16, 2026 (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
Do you have what it takes to compete against some of nature’s most agile athletes? Join 4-H at the Southwest Harbor Public Library on April 16, from 3:30 – 4:30 for a chance to find out! Youth can compete in several events where they can show off their skills and learn about what adaptations insects have that help them excel in their environments. Show us your powerful legs like a grasshopper in the long jump, or your fluttering, fast wings like a butterfly in the arm flap event.