KL 4-H Newsletter—September 2024
Send articles to cynthia.rogers@maine.edu
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
September 10 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association (KLLA) Meeting, 6:00 pm, online only
September 13 – 29 Eastern States Exposition, Springfield, MA
September 18 & 25 “Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey,” 6 – 7 pm, online
September 30 4-H Project Records and Cloverbud Activity Records are due—see article below
September 30 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photography Contest entries due
September 30 Club Award Nominations due from club leaders
September 30 4-H Character Award nominations due at the Extension office
September 30 Deadline to register for the Super Sitters Virtual SPIN Club
October 1 Start of the new 4-H Year
October 8 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association (KLLA) Meeting, 6:00 pm, KL Extension office
October 15 Children’s Water Festival, UMaine Orono
October 20 KL 4-H Year-End Celebration, Beaver Lodge, Hope, ME
September Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Natalie C., Isabella L., and Elizabeth M.!
Extra Effort in 4-H Project Records Will Be Rewarded
Don’t forget that 4-H Project Records are due September 30. The Basic Record is all that is required, especially if you are a new member. But if you want, you can supply more detail with “Optional” record components…here’s some incentive!
To encourage members to submit more complete project records (include more of the “Optional” sections) in 2024, the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association would like to announce that extra effort beyond the basic record will be recognized with higher award amounts. In other words, the more “Optional” 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.
Visit the 4-H Project Record page for all forms and instructions. Contact your club leader or this office if you have questions or need help!
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 2023/2024 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 Record. To present a more complete picture of your project, choose from additional record sections under Optional Records. With these, you can tell us about your specific work and accomplishments, including community service, profit and loss, feed and care (for livestock), and more.
Completed records must be submitted by September 30.
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 on October 20 at Beaver Lodge in Hope. Project Record forms, Cloverbud Activity Record forms, and instructions can be found online. Contact your club leader or this office if you have questions or need help. DON’T WAIT to the last minute!
Enter the 2024 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photo Contest
Submit up to five photos for the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photography Contest 2024! 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, 2024. Members can enter up to five photos taken between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024. Contact Cindy Rogers at 207.832.0343 or cynthia.rogers@maine.edu if you have questions.
Nominations Sought for 4-H Awards
Club leader nominations for the following individual and club awards are due September 30: Team Player, Treasurer, Secretary, Community Service, Personal Growth, Leadership, Citizenship, and Katherine Watier Green Awards. The link to the nomination form for these awards has been emailed to primary club leaders.
During the fair season, a few outstanding 4-Hers may be chosen to receive the 4-H Character Award. This honor may be awarded to a 4-Her who carries out his or her project at any Maine fair, and who treats other 4-H members, fair colleagues, spectators, and their animals (when applicable) according to the six pillars of character: Responsibility, Trustworthiness, Respect, Caring, Fairness and Citizenship. Anyone can nominate youth for the Character Award, but we ask that parents not nominate their own children.
Nominations for the 2024 4-H Character Award, may be submitted to Knox-Lincoln Extension Office, 377 Manktown Road, Waldoboro, ME 04572 or via email cynthia.rogers@maine.edu by September 30, 2024.
Super Sitters Virtual 4-H SPIN Club
Are you interested in babysitting? Do you have younger siblings at home? Do you want to feel more confident working with kids? This is the perfect 4-H club for you! The Super Sitter Babysitting Course is designed to prepare youth ages 12 – 16 for babysitting responsibilities. During this SPecial INterest club, teens will learn basic safety measures and how to respond to emergency situations when caring for young children. Participants will discover what is appropriate at various stages of child development through hands-on activities, scenarios and more!
This club will meet virtually Tuesdays from 3 – 4 pm October 15 – November 12. One in-person session will be held on November 19 in Aroostook and Washington counties.
Participation is free, registration is required. Space is limited to 15 participants. Registration closes September 30. Registered participants will receive a link to access the meetings online and will also be provided with at-home materials. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Gabrielle Brodek at gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu or 207.255.3345.
To register: Enrolled 4-H members need to log into ZSuite, and then go to the internal Super Sitters registration page. For youth who are outside of 4-H or don’t have a ZSuite account, please use the external Super Sitters registration page.
Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey Training
Thinking about becoming a 4-H volunteer? We are looking for people to help youth find their spark and thrive! We offer lots of ways to be involved depending on your time and interests. Join us for two one-hour virtual sessions to help you with your decision. By the end of the two-part series, you will have completed four short e-Learning modules to introduce you to the 4-H program, participate in an experiential learning activity, learn about the key aspects of positive youth development, and be introduced to ages and stages of youth. This core training will wrap up with an outline of next steps and an introduction to your county staff contact so you can begin the application process if you choose. No pressure to commit, no cost, and no reason to not attend! Please note, these sessions are for individuals who are not currently enrolled 4-H volunteers.
Choose an upcoming session:
– Wednesdays, September 18 & 25, 2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
– Tuesdays, November 12 & 19, 2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Register to Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey
Northern Maine Children’s Water Festival at UMaine
Join Scarlett, Melissa, and the 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center at University of Maine, Orono, as they explore organisms found in the ocean on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Kids get a chance to touch, hold, investigate, and explore species found in the Gulf of Maine. This free, hands-on, learning festival is geared towards 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. The event will be filled with a variety of water resource professionals that promote the value of clean water and healthy habitats, as well as provide teachers with materials and lessons they can use in their own classroom. For more information visit the Children’s Water Festival website.
4-H Tick Project
The 4-H Tick Project is a community science project engaging K – 12 youth and educators, made possible through a partnership between 4-H Youth Development, UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab, Maine Forest Tick Survey, and members of the Learning Ecosystems Northeast partnership. The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health.
All educators interested in teaching about ticks in Maine are encouraged to participate in the project at no cost to you. This is a great project for 4-H clubs, SPIN clubs, home school groups, and more.
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, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).