KL 4-H Newsletter—January 2025
Send articles to cynthia.rogers@maine.edu
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
December 31 LAST CHANCE! 4-H Re-enrollments due (see article about ZSuite below)
January 6 Fryeburg Fair Beef Intent to Sell form due
January 7 Deadline to register for KL 4-H Public Speaking Workshop (1/11)
January 7 Deadline to register for Farm Animal Care FUNdamentals 4-H SPIN Club
January 9 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders Association Annual Meeting, 6 pm, Extension office, Waldoboro
January 11 KL 4-H Public Speaking Workshop, 9am–noon, Extension office, Waldoboro, snow date 1/12
January 13 Deadline to register for 4-H Climate Civic Action SPIN Club (age 12–18)
January 15 ESE Beef Team Intent to Participate form due
January 22 Preparing for Youth Engagement: first of three Volunteer Connections sessions, 6:30–8:30 pm
January 27 Deadline to register for Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise (Maple Sugaring 101)
January 31 Oxton Trust Applications due
February 13 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders Association Meeting, 6 pm, Zoom only
February 19 Building Connections for Success: second of three Volunteer Connections sessions, 6:30–8:30 pm
March 8 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Public Speaking Tournament, 1-4pm, Extension office, Waldoboro, snow date 3/15 (registration coming soon)
January Birthday
Happy Birthday to Charlotte R.!
Last Call! Re-enroll by December 31!
December 31 enrollment is required for participation in most 4-H livestock shows, trips, and statewide activities.
ZSuite is the 4-H enrollment option available for families for the new 4-H Year. Current families can log into their ZSuite account and complete their re-enrollment, as well as all required forms, online. If you enrolled yourself last fall for the 2023-2024 year, you can simply visit: https://4h.zsuite.org/ and use the password you set at that time. If you DID NOT use ZSuite to enroll in 2023-24, visit: https://4h.zsuite.org/, click “Forgot Password?” and complete the prompts using the email address where you receive your 4-H communications.
Once you are in ZSuite, reenrollment is just a few clicks away:
- Login at https://4h.zsuite.org
- Click on the PRIMARY profile and enter your 4-character PIN.
- Click on the name of the youth member you wish to enroll.
- Click on ENROLL MEMBER NOW.
- Review/update the requested member information. When you are done with that, click NEXT
- Here you will read and electronically sign the 4-H participation waiver(s), click NEXT
- Here is where you will select your club or clubs and desired projects. There may be clubs and projects listed that carried over from your enrollment during the last program year.
- To add clubs, select your county. This defaults to the county submitted when you created your account. You may need to select another county to find your desired club.
- Select your Club from the drop-down menu. Select ADD CLUB.
- To add projects for any of the clubs, select ADD PROJECT for the desired clubs. Select the desired project from the drop-down menu. Select ADD PROJECT and selection will be added to the club. Feel free to add additional clubs or projects. If you make a mistake or wish to remove a project, select the X and confirm you wish to delete the project.
- When done making your selections, click Submit.
Enrollment records need to be active/green status before engaging in 4-H activities and to register for events.
ZSuite has a help menu that offers step-by-step instructions in the system, as well as live chat for questions. You are also welcome to reach out to your county staff.
4-H Public Speaking Workshop—Register Today!
There will be a 4-H Public Speaking Workshop on Saturday, January 11, 9 am–noon at Knox-Lincoln UMaine Extension (snow date January 12). Come try some fun activities that will get you ready to confidently speak to a group! This workshop, open to all ages and levels of public speaking experience. Join just to try it out, or to prepare for the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Public Speaking Tournament in March. Are you nan seasoned speaker? New to public speaking? Somewhere in between? This workshop is for you! Register for the 4-H Public Speaking Workshop by January 7.
Save the Date: Knox-Lincoln 4-H Public Speaking Tournament March 8
The Knox-Lincoln 4-H Public Speaking Tournament will be held on March 8 from 1-4 pm at the Knox-Lincoln Extension office (snow date March 15). Information and resources for helping you prepare a talk can be found on the Maine 4-H Public Speaking website. Online registration will be live in early February.
2025 Annual Meeting of the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders Association
Enrolled Knox-Lincoln 4-H volunteers are invited to attend the KLLA Annual Meeting at the Knox-Lincoln Extension office on Thursday, January 9 starting at 6 pm. Join other 4-H volunteers and staff for a time to socialize, recognize the work you all do as leaders, and eat a warm meal together. We will end with a brief Business Meeting. Watch your email for more details!
Oxton Trust Applications Due January 31 for All of 2025
Through the generosity and foresight of Robert Oxton, the Oxton Trust Fund was established to support 4-H youth development programs and activities in Knox and Lincoln Counties. The funds are available annually. Clubs, volunteers, and members should anticipate what funds they expect to request for the entire 2025 calendar year and apply for funds to the Oxton Trust Committee by January 31, 2025.
If a club, volunteer, or member discovers a need for funds later in 2025, a special meeting of the committee can be called, and an application considered at any time. Funds available for mid-year requests, however, will be more limited.
Grants may be awarded for 4-H youth development programs and projects falling into one of the following areas: leadership, youth development, and special programs. Applications can be submitted by 4-H staff, volunteers or members enrolled in the Knox and Lincoln Counties 4-H program. The Oxton Trust Application is available online or can be requested by contacting the Knox-Lincoln Extension office.
4-H Project Records—Start Them Now!
Members, have you started your 4-H Project Record yet? It is best to start them early, set your goals, and record your progress throughout the 4-H year.
To encourage more complete project records (include more of the optional sections), the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association awards extra effort beyond the basic record with higher award amounts when records are evaluated. In other words, the more components that you complete well, the higher the value of your award can potentially be. Based on the judges’ evaluations, awards will range from $20 to $50 “award value” depending on quantity and quality of work presented. Project Record forms and instructions can be found online.
Summer Camp at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove
Registration for Summer Programs at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove 4-H Camps opens on January 6, 2025, at 6 pm. We would love to see you at one of our 4-H Camps this summer! 1 and 2-week overnight camps, day camps, outdoor trips, and teen leadership camps are open for anyone to attend. This is a great opportunity to diversify your 4-H experience and continue building awesome skills. Scholarships are available from the Camps and the 4-H Foundation to help with tuition costs.
Some sessions fill up fast! To start planning your summer experience, please check out the program pages on our website which have more information and dates. We are excited to welcome you to the Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove Family! For questions, please email or call Emma: extension.tanglewood4h@maine.edu, 207.789.5868
Explore Maine’s Aquaculture Industry with Virtual Field Trips from 4-H
Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) are an innovative way for youth to explore and learn about places and people that would otherwise be infeasible! These immersive, online experiences bring Maine’s thriving aquaculture industry to life—no travel required.
Accessible at no cost, the Virtual Field Trips are designed to break down geographical and financial barriers, making high-quality, hands-on learning available to all. Register online to receive a link to the VFTs. Each field trip also comes with complementary 4-H activity guides and lesson plans to help facilitate meaningful engagement with youth.
The first VFT currently available features the University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR), a large-scale, land-based aquaculture facility in Franklin, Maine. Additional virtual field trips are in development and will be rolled out throughout 2025 and 2026. These experiences offer insight into seafood production, workforce development, career exploration, and STEM concepts related to aquaculture technologies.
Register for a Virtual Aquaculture Field Trip online. For more information: contact Carla Scocchi, 4-H Youth Development Professional, carla.scocchi@maine.edu.
4-H Volunteer Connections: Register Today!
We are offering THREE virtual interactive sessions this winter for all 4-H volunteers! Join us for regional training and networking opportunities with 4-H volunteers from our 13 states in the North East Region! Session topics include the following:
- Preparing for Youth Engagement – January 22, 2025 6:30 – 8:30 pm
- Building Connections for Success – February 19, 2025 6:30 – 8:00 pm
- Growing Beyond the Ribbon – March 19, 2025 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Sign up for one, two, or all three! Sessions are free, but you must register! Questions? Reach out to Jen Lobley at jennifer.lobley@maine.edu We hope to see you there! Learn more and register for 4-H Volunteer Connections sessions.
Maine State Public Speaking–Save the Date!
The state Public Speaking event will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the University of Maine in Orono. The snow date is Sunday, April 6. Stay tuned for events and details on the Maine 4-H Public Speaking website.
Open Spots for 4-H Teen Leadership Civic Engagement Program: Youth Have a Voice!
4-H Youth have a Voice is a program for teens and recent high school graduates who are interested in taking a more active role in serving their local communities, the state, or the country. Youth will learn leadership skills and ways to participate in civic action by completing a service project in a topic of their interest. Projects can vary from environmental, social, or economic issues.
The program is open for teens ages 14+ years old or entered high school in the fall of 2024. Teens are matched with adult mentors and 4-H staff advisors to provide guidance on their projects, assist their learning of civic processes and plan ways to meet project goals. The total time commitment may vary depending on the type of project. Monthly statewide program meetings will be online via Zoom and occasional in-person gatherings will be scheduled for participant availability at central locations.
Registration for Youth Have a Voice is open through January, 2025. For questions or to request an accommodation, please contact Andrew Hudacs, andrew.hudacs@maine.edu, 207.581.8204.
4-H Climate Civic Action SPIN Club
This is a 3-part series for youth ages 12-18 that will dive into real world issues and what we can actually do about them. Together we will learn about climate change from a global perspective, a local perspective and explore opportunities for individual action to make a difference. This will involve hands-on, minds-on learning to unpack this big topic.
This is a free opportunity for youth ages 12–18, and will take place over Zoom on Mondays January 27, February 3, and February 10, from 4:30–5:30 pm. Register for 4-H Climate Civic Action SPIN Club before January 13, 2025.
Farm Animal Care FUNdamentals 4-H SPIN Club
Are you interested in learning about livestock animals (such as cows, goats, or sheep)? How do we care for them? How do you know what to feed them, how do you actually do regular health checks and have proper housing? Join the 4-H Animal Science SPIN club. We will have 3 virtual sessions focused on what livestock need to live a healthy life and one field day that provides hands-on experience. Set yourself up for success in your 4-H project by learning the basics of animal care. Participants do not need any prior animal experience or currently own livestock to participate. This is a beginner/introductory level program.
This is a free opportunity for youth ages 9–18, and will meet over Zoom from 4:00–5:15 pm on Wednesdays, January 22, 29th, and February 5, 2025, February 12th will be an optional session for youth who intend to participate in a 4-H livestock project. The final session will be geared towards youth who are beginning their journey into raising livestock. Parents are encouraged to attend this session with their child. Register for Farm Animal Care FUNdamentals before January 7, 2025.
4-H Science Toolkits
Maine 4-H has a lending library of 4-H Science Toolkits. These come with activities and materials around a variety of topics. Recent additions include:
- eBird Explorers, exploring Ornithology for Cloverbuds
- Harmful and Shifting Species, which examines species impacting the Maine coast
- Power Protectors, which involves exploring energy use and an introduction to renewable energy through engineering design challenges.
Reach out to your local 4-H staff person or email 4-HScience@maine.edu to make a reservation or with any questions. Check out all of the 4-H Science Toolkits on our website.
4-H Dairy Quizbowl – Save the Date!
The 2025 Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl tryouts will be held on March 1 at the Randall Student Center at the University of Maine Augusta. The contest will start at 10 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 at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu so that we can prepare for the event.
ESE 4-H Dairy Intent Forms Available Now!
The 2025 Maine 4-H Dairy Eastern States Exposition Intent to Participate form is available online. In order to be eligible for participation on the Maine 4-H Dairy Eastern States Team next fall, 4-H members must submit their completed intent form online or to the Waldo County Cooperative Extension office before March 1, 2025. Please contact Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or 207.342.5971 with any questions.
Maine 4-H ESE Beef Intent to Participate Forms are Now Available
The 2025 Maine 4-H Beef Eastern States Exposition Intent to Participate form is now available online and must be submitted by January 15, 2025. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the Maine 4-H Beef Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September. Youth must be 12–18 years old as of December 31, 2024 and have completed one year in a beef project prior to this year. Please contact Kristen Grondin, kristen.grondin@maine.edu, 207.581.8193, with any questions.
Market Beef at Fryeburg Fair
The 2025 Maine 4-H Intent to Sell a Market Beef Project at Fryeburg Fair is now available for eligible youth. The animal must be owned and in the youth’s possession, and the youth must be enrolled in their county by December 31, 2024. More information and the form are available on the Maine 4-H Beef page. Online forms must be submitted, and paper copies must be postmarked by January 6, 2025.
Maine 4-H Foundation Scholarships
Every year, the Maine 4-H Foundation awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to participants in the Maine 4-H Program pursuing higher education, this participation includes traditional club membership, as well as the many other ways youth can engage with 4-H, including at our Camp and Learning Centers. Dozens of different scholarships are available to applicants, and a single application is used for all.
To find out more about available scholarships, and access the application and templates, visit the Maine 4-H Foundation website. Applications are due to your local UMaine Extension office or one of our 4-H Learning Centers by March 3, 2025.
Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise: From Sap, to Syrup, to Sales
Maple Sugaring 101, also known as Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise, is a 7-week hybrid program open to Maine youth ages 9–18 who are interested in learning about the entire maple sugaring process and how to create a commercial grade syrup. Participants will learn about forest management, tapping trees, transporting sap, using an evaporator, grading and storing syrup, and operating a maple sugaring business.
Each week, participants will learn about the process and connect with other young maple sugar makers through online meetings and in-person workshops led by University of Maine Cooperative Extension experts. Online meetings are scheduled for weekday evenings, 5–6 pm in February and March. On-site workshops will be held at participating sugarhouses following the virtual sessions. Exact dates will be released in January 2025.
This program will also prepare youth for a new Level 1 digital badge called Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise. Youth who complete the program will get free access to the learning modules to earn the digital badge.
Club leaders who would like to have their club participate in this program, please contact your 4-H County Professional or Andrew Hudacs by Monday, January 27, 2024: andrew.hudacs@maine.edu, 207.581.8204.
Youth who are interested in the program but are not a member of a participating club are welcome to register. Travel beyond their home county may be required to attend onsite sessions if a sugarhouse is not available locally. For more information, please visit the Maple Sugaring 101 webpage.
Save the Date: Northeast Livestock Expo (NELE)
The Northeast Livestock Expo (NELE) will take place from May 16–18, 2025 at the Windsor Fairgrounds in Windsor, Maine. More information can be found on their website, and entry forms and schedules will be available in 2025.
2025 Engineering Week Expo
The Maine Engineering Promotional Council (MEPC) Engineering Expo will be held Saturday, March 8 from 9 am to 2 pm at the University of Maine Field House in Orono. This family-friendly FREE event invites the community to explore the world of engineering through demonstrations and hands-on activities. The 4-H Science and Engineering Center will be there along with Maine engineering firms, schools, government agencies, and societies who are invested in engaging young minds in career pathways involving engineering.
Maine Science Festival
The Maine Science Festival will be held March 19–23, times TBD in February at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. This FREE event includes a Field Trip Day for 7th–8 th 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!
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