New Members

Calendar of Events | Fundraisers | County and State Opportunities | National Opportunities

Welcome to 4-H in Hancock County!

Maine 4-H is focused on educating and empowering youth through hands-on and community-based experiences, with self-directed learning and collaborations. 4-H members acquire knowledge and skills that will contribute to leadership and the ability to succeed now and in the future. You can keep in touch with us on a regular basis through the:

• Hancock County newsletter (this will be emailed to you monthly, please add us to your contacts list so we don’t end up in your spam folder!)
• Hancock County 4-H Facebook Page (Follow us @hancock4h)
• State 4-H website

As a 4-H Member, you are now plugged into a county-, state-, and nation-wide network that reaches nearly 200,000 youth annually and whose members perform countless hours of community service. Kids experience 4-H in every county in the country—through in-school and after-school programs, community clubs and events, and 4-H Camp & Learning Centers. In Hancock County, 4-H youth build life skills by leading hands-on projects in areas like science, health, agriculture, and citizenship – helping them to grow confidence, independence, resilience, and compassion.

Events

Hancock county offers a variety of events throughout the year. 4-H’ers of all ages can participate as a way to find community among each other. For a more detailed description of each event, please visit the respective page linked below.

January
– 4-H Public Speaking season begins!

February
– 4-H Public Speaking Workshops Continue
– 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Tanglewood: Vacation Camp
– Paper Clover Campaign at JOANN Fabric
– Application Deadlines for National 4-H Trips: Citizen Washington Focus (CWF), National 4-H Congress, and National 4-H Conference 

March
– 4-H Public Speaking Hancock County Tournament

April
– Maine Day at the Legislature
– State 4-H Public Speaking Tournament
– National 4-H Trip: National 4-H Conference
– Paper Clover Campaign at Tractor Supply Company
– Deadline for College Scholarship Applications

May
– Style Revue
– 4-H Awareness Day
– 4-H @ UMaine 

June
– 4-H June Jamboree
– Deadline for Animal Approval Forms for showing at county fairs (June 30)
– 4-H Summer Learning Series

July
– Photo Contest
– National 4-H Trip: Citizen Washington Focus (CWF)
– 4-H Summer Learning Series

August
– 4-H Summer Learning Series

September
– Blue Hill Fair
– Eastern States Exposition (ESE)
– Deadline for Project Records 

October
– New 4-H year and Re-enrollment process begins!
– Paper Clover Campaign at Tractor Supply Company
– National 4-H Awareness Week
– Cloverfest Awards Ceremony

November
– 4-H Leaders’ Banquet
– Northeast Leaders’ Forum
– County Deadline for 4-H Re-enrollment paperwork

December
– State Deadline for 4-H Re-enrollment paperwork (December 31 – no exceptions)

Fundraisers

Food Booth
4-H Youth, Parents, and Volunteers sell concession items as a fundraiser for the Leaders’ Association. The food booth is operated during the Blue Hill Fair in September and is completely driven by volunteers. The Leaders’ Association is always looking for volunteers to sign up for a shift at the food booth! 

Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign
Each Spring and Fall, Tractor Supply Company helps raise money for 4-H programs with the Paper Clover Campaign, a national fundraiser that benefits 4-H programming. 

Steer Ticket Raffle
Each year, a 4-H’er is responsible for raising a beef steer as a fundraiser for the Leaders’ Association. Raffle tickets are sold at the club level and at the Blue Hill Fair. The winning ticket is drawn at the conclusion of the Blue Hill Fair on Labor Day, and the winner has a choice of freezer-ready beef or cash.

County and State Opportunities

Leaders’ Association
This Association is composed of 4-H Volunteer Leaders, and meets on the second Tuesday of each month to provide funding, support, and planning of 4-H programs in Hancock County. All 4-H Volunteers are encouraged to attend these important meetings, which can be in person or virtual. 

4-H Awareness Days
These are specific days, usually in the spring and fall, dedicated to spreading public awareness about 4-H programming. 4-H Members are strongly encouraged to participate by showing animals, displays, projects, and more. 

4-H @ UMaine
This statewide event for middle and high schoolers introduces youth to what it’s like to spend a weekend on a college campus. Participants will: spend the night in a college dorm room, interact with UMaine students, staff, and faculty in cool workshops, eat at the student dining hall, and get active at the New Balance Student Recreation Center. 

4-H Camps and Learning Centers
There are four outdoor camp and learning centers, all offering year-round programs for youth, schools, and families. Blueberry Cove, located along the seashore, Bryant Pond, located in the western Maine mountains, Tanglewood, located deep in the coastal woods, and Greenland Point, located in Washington County. All four sites connect youth to the outdoors through fun, hands-on and educational experiences.

Summer Learning Series
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension launched a new, innovative series of summer learning programs for youth during the summer of 2020. Eighty-five workshops were offered over the course of the summer, ranging from topics such as squid dissection to citizen science to leadership development. 

National Opportunities

Scholarships
Grants and Scholarships are available to 4-H members at various times throughout the year. These funds may be available for a National 4-H Trip, 4-H Camp & Learning Centers, and more.

JOANN Fabric Rewards Program
JOANN Fabric and the National 4-H Council have partnered to support local 4-H programs through fundraising and a rewards program for all 4-H affiliates. Sign up for the 4-H Reward Card and receive 15% off all purchases. A percentage of the funds collected go back to 4-H programming.

Citizen Washington Focus (CWF)
Every summer, high school students from across the country travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in this eight-day intensive leadership and citizenship program for high school students. CWF delegates learn about the democratic process and their role as citizens while they experience our nation’s capital. Get the inside scoop about how the government really works from prominent guest speakers and interact with Maine’s state senators and representatives and/or their staffers. Program fellows lead bill writing workshops, as well as a national issues forum and mock elections. There are congressional sessions that prepare youth for leadership now and in the future. This trip has always been a favorite of Hancock County 4-H youth! 

Eastern States Exposition (ESE)
ESE is New England’s largest fair, also known as “The Big E.” It is usually held in September, in West Springfield, MA. Maine 4-H members between the ages of 12-18 are eligible to participate in the 4-H Beef, Beef Heifers, Dairy Cattle, Dairy Goats, Dog, Horse, and Sheep shows, as well as Public Speaking. The Big E motivates and recognizes the achievement of individual 4-H members, while encouraging them to work together as a group. It gives 4-H’ers a chance to interact with youth from other states or areas of Maine and to share with the public some of the programs Maine 4-H offers. 

National 4-H Conference
National 4-H Conference is held in April at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, MD. Maine selects four delegates annually based on records of their 4-H and community involvement and candidate interviews. National 4‑H Conference delegates engage in personal development experiences that increase their knowledge, resources, and skills while they discuss topics affecting youth and 4‑H programming nationwide. Delegates not only learn while at the conference: they are empowered to create positive social change in their communities and have the opportunity to practice and apply their skills in a real-world setting.

National 4-H Congress
National 4-H Congress is held in Atlanta, GA, beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving. More than 1,000 youth from small towns, suburbs, farming communities, and cities will come together for five days of discussion groups and workshops. The Congress focuses on issues and trends in agriculture, cultural diversity, group dynamics, and community service. Maine selects four participants annually based on records of their 4-H and community involvement and candidate interviews. The program is designed to help young people develop the knowledge base and leadership skills to positively affect change in the world.