August 4-H 4-U
Table of Contents
- Important Dates to Remember
- County 4-H News
- Club News
- State 4-H News
- Penobscot County 4-H Leaders Association
Important Dates to Remember
- July 30 – August 8: Bangor State Fair
- August 5 – August 9: Northern Maine Fair
- August 5 – August 9: Union Fair
- August 12: Millinocket Memorial Library 3 pm – 4 pm
- August 13: Bangor Public Library 3 pm – 4 pm
- August 20: Next Leaders’ Meeting
- August 27 – August 30: Piscataquis Valley Fair
County 4-H News
4-H at Newport Cultural Center and Library
Our six‑day Summer Learning series at the library was packed with hands‑on exploration and discovery.
Youth dove into Maine wildlife pelts, learning how animals adapt to their environments, then shifted into fish biology to explore anatomy and life cycles. Midweek, everyone rolled up their sleeves for seed starting, planting their own take‑home sprouts. We kept the momentum going with straw rockets, where youth experimented with angles and force, followed by a creative ocean‑themed session making seaweed squishies. We wrapped up the series with Sphero Indi Robots, giving participants a chance to code, problem‑solve, and design their own robot pathways.
It was a vibrant stretch of curiosity, STEM learning, and community connection — exactly what summer programming is meant to spark.
4-H at Bangor Public Library
Our recent visit to the local library brought two very different and very memorable learning experiences. 
As part of the library’s Summer Program for All Ages, participants created their own seaweed squishies, exploring texture, buoyancy, and a bit of ocean‑themed creativity. Later in the week, during our monthly teen program, youth rolled up their sleeves for hands‑on squid dissections, investigating anatomy, adaptations, and the incredible design of marine life.
It was a wonderful blend of curiosity, science, and community exactly the kind of partnership we love building with our local libraries.
4-H at Local Summer Camp
Our two‑day visit to the local summer camp was a perfect match for their themed weeks.
During Nature Explorers Week, youth built their own bird nests from natural materials, then tested them in “windy weather” to see which designs held up. The next day, as part of Builders & Makers Week, everyone shifted into engineering mode to create and launch straw rockets, experimenting with angles, force, and design tweaks to see how far they could fly.
It was a wonderful blend of creativity, problem solving, and hands‑on discovery, exactly the kind of summer learning we love to spark!
Bangor State Fair
Weekend 1 was a fantastic success, and we’re already looking forward to Weekend 2!
Thank you to everyone who brought such great energy, creativity, and community spirit to the grounds.
We’ll be sharing a supplemental edition of the newsletter once Weekend 2 wraps up, highlighting all the fun moments, youth accomplishments, and behind‑the‑scenes magic that made this year’s fair shine. Stay tuned; there’s even more good news on the way!
Short Film – Children and Animals
A new short film featuring our Maine 4‑H youth is making waves on the international stage.
Children and Animals offers a heartfelt look at the Blue Hill Fair through the eyes of young people showing their animals, capturing their dedication, joy, and the deep connections they build along the way. The film premiered at the Maine International Film Festival and is slated to appear at additional film festivals across the globe in the coming months.
Once its festival run concludes, the film will be made available to the public, and we look forward to sharing it with our community as soon as we’re able.
A special thank‑you to Walker Kalan and Isabel Haro for creating such a beautiful and thoughtful piece that honors youth voice and the spirit of 4‑H.
Trailer: Children and Animals
Club News
Aquatic Science 4-H Club
We met at Sedgeunkedunk Stream in Orrington to collect and identify aquatic insects. This particular site is interesting because the upstream side is slow moving and meandering that leads to Fields Pond in Holden. The downstream side is more characteristic of a higher gradient stream with a lot of riffles and some plunge pools and it flows out to the Penobscot River. We spent time looking for insects in each type of habitat and found a lot of differences in the insect community. In the slower moving waters we found dragonfly larvae (pictured in that ice cube tray), beetles, and isopods. However in the swift moving waters we found caddisflies, mayflies, hellgrammites, and a crayfish. Even though we were in the same stream and our sampling locations were not that far apart we found a lot of differences in the types of insects that live in those habitats.
Penobscot Livestock
July 30th to August 2, the Penobscot Livestock Club was at the Bangor State Fair. While at the fair our club participated in a judging and fitting clinic. Our members also were showing their lamb and beef market projects. There was also a sheep show and beef heifer show.
State 4-H News
Save the Date: Maine 4-H Day at UMaine Football
Join Maine 4-H at the University of Maine on Saturday, October 17, as the Black Bears take on Bryant University! The game begins at 1:00 p.m.
Come early to connect with other 4-H members and families, learn about upcoming 4-H opportunities, and enjoy time together before cheering on the UMaine football team.
Tickets will be $15 per person. You can purchase your tickets on the 4-H Football Experience page. We hope you can join us!
Power Protectors: 4-H STEM Challenge
How much energy do we use and how can we power our world with sun, wind, and other renewable energy? Step into the role of an engineer in this hands-on challenge! We will explore basic energy concepts, figure out how much energy we use and experiment with alternative energy. We will apply problem solving, creative thinking and collaboration skills to design challenges.
Who: Ages 9 – 12
When: Mondays, September 19, 26 & October 5th 4:00-5:00 pm
Where: Virtual – connect from home, we will mail key materials
How: Visit the Maine 4-H Virtual Learning Hub, registration information will be posted under STEAM
Apply for the 2027 Ignite by 4-H Maine Team
Applications are now open for the 2027 Ignite by 4-H Maine Team. All Maine youth ages 14–18 are eligible to apply.
Ignite by 4-H will take place March 17–21, 2027, in Washington, D.C. Youth applying for the Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) track should plan to attend March 16–21, 2027. Applications are due September 15, 2026. 2027 Ignite by 4-H Youth Application.
Partial Solar Eclipse – Viewing at Versant Astronomy Center
On August 12th, there will be a partial solar eclipse visible here in Maine, and the last one until 2045, and the next Total Solar Eclipse here in Maine will be in 2079!
Versant Power Astronomy Center at UMaine Orono will be opening the historic Clark Telescope from 12:30-3 pm on August 12 to share the eclipse with anyone interested in joining us. This is a FREE event, but it will be weather-dependent, as clear skies will be needed to open up the telescope.
Here in Orono, the eclipse will begin at 12:54 pm, have a maximum of 23.6% of the Sun obscured by the Moon at 1:53 pm, and end at 2:49 pm.
Just a reminder: to safely view eclipses, one should use a proper solar filter or eclipse glasses. If you have ones from 2024 that you kept in good shape and have no scratches or holes, they will work for this event.
August 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!
You are making a difference with youth. Showing an interest, creating connections and offering encouragement are all part of a strong relationship. Over time, these relationships foster deep belonging, promote civic engagement, and help young people to become beyond ready for whatever the future holds! Try these quick conversation starters when you bring 4-H youth together this summer for a 4-H meeting, field trip, or even at the fair! Express Care through listening, warmth, and dependability.
- “What’s something you’re proud of this week?”
- If you could learn one new skill, what would it be?”
- “What’s been the best part of 4-H for you so far?”
4-H Volunteer Summit
Saturday, November 7, 2026
This event is going to be so much fun! Along with interactive workshops, and a 4-H Discovery Zone, there will be a delicious lunch and door prizes! Save the date, check out the 4-H Volunteer Summit webpage and look for registration to open soon!
Resource Corner
Maine 4-H Project Records
Record keeping is a skill that youth need to be Beyond Ready for the future! 4-H members are encouraged to keep records as part of their leadership experience. 4-H records present a picture of your growth and development for our 4-H members. They can be helpful when it comes to county awards, fair entries, scholarship applications, and building resumes. If you meet with your club members on a regular basis, it is important to work on the records throughout the year. You can check-in, answer questions and provide support by setting aside a little time at each meeting. As the 4-H year starts to wrap up, you may wish to have a “project record party” where youth have an opportunity to finalize the project records, reflect and share some of their learning and observations from the past year. Check out the Maine 4-H Project Records webpage for resources, samples, and more information!
Penobscot County 4-H Leaders’ Association
Penobscot County 4-H Leaders’ Association Meeting Minutes – July 16, 2026
Attendance: Emily Pigeon (staff), Lucia Brown (Sec./Treas.), Scott Leeman (Pres.), Donna Gangitano, Corinna Caron (VP), Liam, Leilani Stratton, Suzanne Schropfer, Samwel, Maikel
The meeting was called to order at 6:12.
Secretary’s Report: Scott motions to accept the minutes as written, Corinna seconds. All in favor.
Staff Report:
Current/Upcoming Events
- 7/17-19 State Dairy Show
- 7/20 Email Emily with intent to participate in 4-H Educational Display and/or Exhibit (topic)
- 7/21-23 STEM programming at Newport Library 11 am – 12 pm
- 7/30-8/8 Bangor State Fair
- 8/5-8/9 Northern Maine Fair
- 8/5-8/9 Union Fair
- 8/12 Millinocket Memorial Library 3 pm – 4 pm
- 8/13 Bangor Public Library 3 pm – 4 pm
- 8/20 Next Leaders’ Meeting
Scholarships – none
Camperships –
Sophia C. – Tanglewood & Camp Sebago
Liam C. – Camp Sebago
Seraiah G. – Tanglewood
Leilani G. – Tanglewood
Lucia makes a motion to approve Sophia C., Seraiah G., Leilani G. as applied for, and Liam C. to be approved but modified since it’s a non-4-H camp.
Tanglewood – is eligible to be funded with Tractor Supply funds & Emily will work with the University to have a check cut to the club.
Commodity/Event Grants – none
Fundraising – We should discuss a possible bottle drive later in the summer or the fall.
BSF:
Corinna requests that any forms that went to Scott’s show secretary be sent into the fair.
180 head of cattle, around 100 sheep, 40 pairs of working steers have been entered, and numbers on dairy goats will be provided closer to.
Layout? Still working it out – early the week of the fair.
Livestock passes will be available to exhibitors. Car and camper parking passes will be provided.
Boxed lunches will be available for purchase this year.
There will be a movie night.
The theme of the year is poultry. Some staff will be dressed as poultry.
Horse and Oxen pulling Monday and Tuesday.
Educational Displays need to be dropped off Wednesday. Officially 2pm-7pm, probably earlier if needed – contact Emily.
Next Meeting: August 20, 2026 – 6:00 pm
Secretary’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Staff Reports
Scholarships
Camperships
Commodity Grants
Fundraising
Bangor State Fair
Scott made a motion to adjourn at 6:52 pm, seconded by Lucia. All in favor.
Contact: Wendy Robertson, Administrative Specialist, by email at wendy.robertson@maine.edu or by phone at 942.7396 or contact Emily Bishop, Community Education Assistant, email emily.pigeon@maine.edu
University of Maine Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity institution and provider committed to nondiscrimination.
For more information, visit extension.umaine.edu/nondiscrimination.