4-H Happenings, June 2022

Contents


Important Dates: 


County News


4-H STEAM Day- Explore Forensics!

Join Somerset County 4-H members and friends on June 22 from 8:30 AM-1 PM at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds for fun outdoor activities. Investigate forensics with special guests from the Maine State Medical Examiner’s Office, Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit, and Skowhegan Police fingerprinting! Lunch and a snack will be provided. Individual forensics-based gift bags will be available for everyone!

There is a $5 fee/participant, $15 maximum fee/family, payable at the Somerset County Office or at the event by cash or check. Scholarships are available for the event. Contact Karen Giles for more details at karen.giles@maine.edu.

STEAM Multi-Adventure Camp at Bryant Pond

3 youth in a shelter in the woodsSTEAM through a week with us participating in exciting activities including survival skills, shooting sports, engineering, a challenge course, and more. Each day will focus on a skill designed to test your abilities and challenge you to think outside the box! You never know when you may need to build a survival raft capable of saving your team or a catapult that could possibly sink it. You will also spend time on our rifle, shotgun, and archery ranges where fun and science collide, creating the ultimate thrill factor leaving a smile on your face. Although the primary goal will be focused on exploring these skills and challenges, you will also participate in all of our traditional summer camp activities like canoeing, swimming, campfires, and more. 

Cost: $700/youth ($25-50 out-of-pocket cost/youth)

Dates: August 14-19

Ages: Rising Juniors and Seniors (16-18)

Sign up form coming soon.

Updating Record Sheets

We are currently working on a state-wide review and reconstruction of record sheets to make them more concise, relevant, and user-friendly. We’d like to have them ready for use by the beginning of the 2022-2023 season. If any leaders or current or former members (within the last few years) are interested in participating in the discussion, please contact Karen at karen.giles@maine.edu.

What Are Your Favorite STEM activities?

We have some program plans in the works and are looking for your input! Do you do STEM activities or programming for 4-H or at your school? If you have a fun or creative idea for a STEM activity for Somerset County youth, please email Karen Giles at karen.giles@maine.edu.

Animal Approval Forms

Don’t forget to submit your animal approval forms (pdf) to your county office. These forms must be submitted by the deadline for your commodity to participate in 4-H shows or other events this summer. If you think you might be interested in going to the Big E this fall, put in your animal approval form by the deadline!

  • All other sheep classes: June 30
  • All other commodities: June 30

Skowhegan State Fair is Rapidly Approaching 

Make sure to get your forms in by the deadlines, for showing animals or displaying work in the exhibition hall. More details can be found in the 2022 Premium Book (pdf).


Club News


Don’t Forget to Submit Your Secretary’s Reports!

This is a friendly reminder that each club’s secretary should be submitting a report to this office after each meeting. Photos are encouraged too! These reports help us stay in the loop with what is happening within your clubs. Secretaries may email a digital copy to extension.somerset@maine.edu or mail a physical copy to Somerset County Cooperative Extension, 7 County Drive, Skowhegan, ME 04976.

Club Updates

Solon Pine Tree has been busy this spring. The last two months, in particular, they have been working on arts and crafts projects and getting ideas together for educational exhibits for the fair. They are planning to plant a local church’s flower beds as a community service project. Cooper Dellarma presented “How to make a pencil” to the club. Great job Solon Pine Tree!

We would love to use this space to share more stories directly from clubs. Please send us your news and events so we can share them in this newsletter! You may send them to karen.giles@maine.edu or to emily.collins3@maine.edu. We would love to hear and share what your club has been learning and doing!


State News


Events and Opportunities

4-H Summer Learning Series

2 youth working on a projectAfter an incredibly successful 4-H Summer Learning Series over the past two years, Maine 4-H will once again offer virtual experiential learning workshops and clubs to youth ages 5-18 from July 5August 5, 2022. Planning is still taking place, but topics in previous years have ranged from engineering, art, science, animals & agriculture, food & nutrition, teen leadership, and more. 

Early registration will be available to enrolled 4-H’ers on Friday, June 3, 2022 and will open to the public the following Monday, June 6. Help us spread the word to your friends and communities – enrollment in 4-H is not required to participate, this event is open to all! For more information, visit the 4-H Summer Learning Series webpage.

Looking for 4-H Alumni & Members Attending UMaine!

If you are a current or former 4-H member planning to attend UMaine this fall, know of a 4-H member currently attending UMaine, or know of a recent 4-H alumni attending UMaine, read this! Collegiate 4-H is an opportunity for 4-H alumni and college students interested in supporting the mission of 4-H to be involved in 4-H after high school. We are currently exploring starting a Collegiate 4-H Club at UMaine with an anticipated start date for the 2022 fall semester. Simply fill out this short form to let us know if you think you might be interested!

Adulting 101: 4-H Virtual Club

Are you a teen worried about impending adulthood? Do you want to know how to find answers to your questions about money, jobs, and roommates? Consider joining the Adulting 101 SPIN Club! Over the course of six meetings, we will learn some basic adult skills, including how to manage stress, interview for a job, and take advantage of existing resources in your community. Each week will cover a different topic: life/work balance and stress management; saving, spending, and credit; nutrition on a budget; resumes and interviews; rent and roommates; and a topic chosen by the participants! Access to a computer is required for participants, a smartphone won’t be sufficient.

Youth ages 13 – 18 need to register on the Adulting 101 webpage by June 6, 2022 for this club which will meet via Zoom on Wednesdays June 22July 27 from 4:00 – 5:30 pm.

Animal Science Health, Nutrition, and Parasite Prevention Panel

Join us at the Magic Lantern Innovation Lab, at 9 Depot Street in Bridgton, on July 9 at 10:00 AM for a free workshop. Learn from a panel of veterinarians and nutrition experts on the health and wellness of animals. From your dog and backyard goats to poultry and large livestock. Don McLean, DVM and Paul G. Rudenberg, DVM will provide information followed by a question and answer session to help you keep your animals safe and well. Contact susan.jennings@maine.edu for more information.

Summer Camp Opportunities

Visit the Summer University Youth Programs’ Youth Summer Camps page to learn about a huge variety of camp experiences available to youth. From our traditional 4-H Camp and Learning Centers, to camps that focus on Academics, Art, Music, or Sports – there is something for everyone.

STEM College Research and Career Exploration Course

Registration is open for an innovative four-week college STEM research course for qualified high school students (rising 11th–12th grade). This tuition-FREE course is offered by the University of Maine, July 18–Aug. 11, at the UMaine Hutchinson Center in Belfast, at UMO, and UMaine Machias. For more information and to register, visit the STEM Exploration Course webpage.

Maine 4-H Virtual Learning HubMaine 4-H Virtual Learning Hub Logo

Maine 4-H Virtual Learning is a hands-on, virtual learning program for youth ages 5-18. Workshops will be organized by age and topic. Topics include engineering, science, animals and agriculture, teen leadership, and more.

Workshops will range from single-time events to short-term programs (typically four to six sessions). Participants will engage in hands-on activities, interact with other 4-Hers, and meet positive adult role models.

No prior experience with 4-H is required to participate. This is a great way for those who are interested to learn more about 4-H.

Read what 4-H Parents, Youth, and Teachers have to say about these 4-H Virtual Learning offerings: Visit the 4-H Parents, Youth, Teachers: Stories and Testimonials page.


Scholarships and Grants

Maine 4-H Foundation Summer Camp Scholarships

2 youth and a camp counselor exploring the shoreThe Maine 4-H Foundation has a limited number of scholarships for 4-H members for Blueberry Cove, Bryant Pond, Greenland Point, and Tanglewood. These scholarships are applied by the camp when you register and pay the deposit for camp. Scholarships are available from $50 to $200 depending on the camp expenses and needs.


Fairs and Shows

Save the Date for the Maine 4-H State Dairy Show

The Maine 4-H State Dairy show will be July 22-24 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. The event is open to all Maine 4-H dairy project members 4-H ages 9 and above. In addition to the 4-H dairy show, the event includes a 4-H dairy fitting contest, grilled cheese contest, and educational workshops. For additional information and a schedule of events please visit the Maine 4-H State Dairy Show webpage.

Upcoming 4-H Working Steer Events

Save the date for upcoming 4-H working steer shows! In order to qualify and be a part of the Maine ESE Working Steer Team, you must attend two of the three tryouts. The tryout events are:

  • Saturday, July 9th at Ossipee Valley Fair
  • Saturday, July 23rd at Windsor Fairgrounds
  • Thursday, August 11th at Skowhegan Fair

For more information on upcoming 4-H working steer events and the Maine ESE Working Steer Team, please visit the Working Steer webpage or contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.

Union Fair – New Dates in 2022

The Union Fair will be happening earlier in the summer, starting this year. The dates for Union Fair 2022 will be July 27-31, about a month earlier than in years past. Please plan accordingly, and check the Union Fair website for updates. Knox-Lincoln Extension staff produce a 4-H Union Fair Information Booklet each year. Once the 2022 pdf document is ready for distribution, it will be shared with all Maine county Extension offices. The booklet will also be available for download on the Knox-Lincoln 4-H website. Questions? Contact cynthia.rogers@maine.edu.


Leaders Meeting Minutes


May 25, 2022

Attendees: Eleanor Pooler, Sherry Grunder, Karen Giles, Lori Swenson, Cheryl Perkins

Minutes:

Fairgrounds Improvements:  There has been no work done yet due to horse shows. David will call Karen about a schedule.

Upcoming Events: Citizenship Washington Focus- CWF is from June 25- July 1. If you are interested in participating, contact Karen ASAP.  A non-refundable deposit of $25 is due to Jessica Brainerd by Tuesday, May 31. There should be some financial support from the Maine State 4-H Foundation to offset the cost. There is a Zoom orientation meeting on June 2nd. See the county website for other opportunities.

Forensics Day- June 22nd- The Skowhegan Police are willing to come. They would like to have us email them the details. Karen contacted SARS who referred to Dr. Liam Funte, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner. He is very excited to help us. He needs to confer with someone this weekend about content. We are moving the registration deadline to June 10. Karen has also contacted the State Police about a search and rescue dog. She is waiting to hear back. Every participant will get a little gift bag of forensics-based items. 

Engineering Day- We have decided to hold off on planning to see how Forensics Day goes.

Skowhegan Fair- August 11- 20th. Exhibition Hall set-up will be the 8th-9th with judging on the 10th.

Leaders’ Scholarship Review- For the 2021-2022, the following amounts will be for the scholarships:

  • Northern Lights $200 Shawn Dean  $200
  • 4-H Dairy  $500 Food Booth   $200

Hailey motioned to accept scholarship amounts. Lori seconded motion. Motion passed.

Cheryl motioned to approve the scholarships. Lori seconded. Motion passed.

Next Meeting- June 15  at 6:00 at the Extension Office

Cheryl motioned to adjourn the meeting. Sherry seconded. Meeting adjourn

To-Do List

Karen- 

  1. Email Chief Bucknam the Forensics day schedule and details. She will also find out what activities they will do for us.
  2. Contact the University to find out if non-4-H members could attend.
  3. Contact Becki at fairgrounds to see if we can store our stuff there before the day to make it easier to set-up.