KL 4-H Newsletter—August 2025
Send articles to cynthia.rogers@maine.edu
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
August 14 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association (KLLA) Meeting, 6:00 pm, online only
September 11 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association (KLLA) Meeting, 6:00pm, online only
September 30 4-H Project Records are due
September 30 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photography Contest entries due
August Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Shelby C., Amelia B., Caitlin B., and Luke L.!
Enter the 2025 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photo Contest
Keep taking photos for the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photography Contest 2025! The top photos per age category will be exhibited in the 4-H Gallery at the Knox-Lincoln Extension office.
This contest is open to any Knox-Lincoln 4-H member age 9 and up. Entries will be accepted through September 30, 2025. Members can enter up to four photos taken between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025. Use the online 4-H Photo Contest Entry form to enter and upload your photos. Keep snapping those great pics! Contact Cindy Rogers at 207.832.0343 or cynthia.rogers@maine.edu if you have questions.
Project Records Due September 30…Why Submit a 4-H Project Record?
4-H members are encouraged to keep records as part of their learning experience. Your 4-H records present a picture of your growth and development as a 4-H member. It is a requirement for all Maine 4-H members ages 9 – 18 to complete a 4-H project record annually. Cloverbud members (5 – 8) should practice their record keeping skills in partnership with an older 4-H member or an adult partner/caregiver.
4-H members are encouraged to complete a project record for projects in which they have participated during the 2024/2025 4-H year. It is important to reflect on your experiences and set goals for the upcoming year. To be considered for recognition at the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Year-End Celebration, 4-H members must complete at least the required basic project record and submit it for evaluation by September 30. Other sections can be added to present a more complete picture of your project.
Please note, you do not need to be finished with your project to complete a project record. We understand that many 4-H projects are ongoing and do not end at the same time as the 4-H year. If you are filing a project record for an ongoing or unfinished project, simply enter the information for your project up to the current date.
Evaluated records will be returned and awards announced at the 4-H Year-End Celebration in the fall (date to be determined). Project Record forms and Cloverbud Activity Record forms and instructions can be found online. We recommend that you download the fillable PDF forms, fill them out on your computer, and email the final files to Cindy Rogers cynthia.rogers@maine.edu. Contact your club leader or this office if you have questions or need help. DON’T WAIT until the last minute!
Union Fair 2025!
Thank you to all the members, parents, and volunteers for all of their help in showcasing the best of 4-H at Union Fair 2025! It takes a great team to pull it all together. The public and fair evaluators do take notice of your excellent work!
Thank you to our five 4-H Farm-to-Fair Youth Helpers, Arianna C., Anthony D., Sabrinnah D., Sadie O., and Charlotte R. (plus honorary helper, Mariyah Lemieux) for doing a fantastic job making everything run smoothly! A special thinks to the companies and organizations who gave products, gift cards, discounts, and volunteer time to 4-H Farm-to-Fair this year: Bangor Savings Bank, the Maine Wild Blueberry Festival’s Blueberry Queen candidates, Oakhurst Dairy, Cabot Creamery, Hannaford Supermarket in Rockland, Appleton Ridge Construction, Viking Lumber, Beth’s Farm Market, and the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine.
We received about 95 projects in the Exhibition Yurt, plus one excellent club exhibit from the Jolly Farmers and Jolly Juniors 4-H Clubs! Our team of volunteer judges did excellent work leaving thoughtful comments for youth, which we appreciate greatly. The People’s Choice award this year went to Sabrinnah D. for her beautifully sewn Civil War era dress and apron…it was definitely an attention-getter!
All of our scheduled shows went well: the Rabbit and Cavy, Small Domestic Pet, and Working Steer shows. Several Knox-Lincoln 4-H members also participated in the Youth Beef, Sheep, and Livestock Showmanship events at Union Fair. Thank you all for participating.
Thanks also goes to Leah McCluskey, 4-H CEA in Hancock County, for bringing the Maine 4-H Touch Tank to Union Fair on the last day. This was super fun and informative program! It was a great addition to 4-H offerings at the fair. The kids and adults were definitely into it! Hopefully we can have you back again next year.
Between the gift basket raffle and donations given at the yurt and at 4-H Farm-to-Fair, $632.00 was raised for Knox-Lincoln 4-H during the fair. Thanks to the clubs, members, and volunteers who contributed to the fabulous raffle offerings, and to those who sold tickets and generally represented 4-H in a positive way!
Maine 4-H Celebrates “The Year of Youth in Agriculture” with New Ag Challenge
The state of Maine has officially declared 2025 as The Year of Youth in Agriculture, an exciting initiative to highlight the vital role young people play in the future of our state’s agricultural landscape. In celebration of this significant declaration, Maine 4-H is thrilled to encourage all our members to delve deeper into the rich and diverse world of Maine agriculture.
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Maine 4-H as well as the economy and heritage of our state, offering a vast array of unique and rewarding opportunities, from traditional farming and livestock management to innovative food production, sustainable practices, and agricultural technology. This is the perfect time for our 4-H members to explore the many facets of this dynamic industry.
To help you do just that, Maine 4-H is launching the 4-H Ag Challenge! This special challenge is designed to guide members through an exploration of the unique and vast opportunities within Maine agriculture. To complete the challenge, members must complete activities from each section, with the number of required activities varying by age group:
- Cloverbud (ages 5 – 8): 2 activities per section
- Junior (ages 9 – 13): 3 activities per section
- Senior (ages 14 – 18): 4 activities per section
Download the Maine 4-H Ag Challenge PDF form!
Once you’ve completed your activities, please return the form to the 4-H Ag Leadership team at extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu or to your local UMaine Extension office. As a special reward for completing the challenge, you will receive a specially designed Maine 4-H Ag Challenge hat!
Prizes will be mailed to those who complete the challenge. This challenge will run through the entirety of 2025, giving you plenty of time to explore! If you have any questions please contact: Megan Cook, 4-H Youth Development Professional, Aroostook County, megan.cook@maine.edu, 207.532.6548
Skip the Stress—Get Into College with 4-H Direct Admissions!
Great news for Maine 4-H high school juniors and seniors: applying to college just got a whole lot easier. With 4-H Direct Admissions, you can be automatically considered for admission to all seven of Maine’s Public Universities—no Common App, no test scores, no essays, no recommendations, and no application fees required!
If you’re enrolled in any 4-H program in Maine, you’re eligible. Just click to opt in, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Click here to opt in for 4-H Direct Admissions
Click here to learn more about 4-H Direct Admissions
This is your future—made simple. #BeyondReady
Big E Ruby Morris 4-H Scholarship
Every two years Maine has the opportunity to select an Eastern States Exposition participant to receive a $500 scholarship towards continuing their education beyond high school, and this is one of our years!
This is a scholarship that was established by The Morris Family who are longtime concessionaires at ESE. A total of three $500 scholarships are awarded each year. In 2025 and future odd-numbered years, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont will each name a scholarship recipient. In even-numbered years, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut name a scholarship recipient.
Visit the website for all information about applying. Materials must be received by 4:30 pm on Friday, August 15, 2025. If you have any questions, contact Jessy Brainerd at 207.581.3877, brainerd@maine.edu.
In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).