Community Science Explorers
STEAM Team Youth Community Science Explorers is a monthly program focused on the exploration of environmental and climate issues. Youth ages 7-12 are invited to join this partnership between the University of Maine’s 4-H program in Waldo County and the Belfast Free Library. Participants will engage in hands-on activities, meet scientists from other Maine organizations, learn from professionals from the University of Maine, and create connections with peers.
Upcoming Sessions
Session 1: October 2, 2025
Microplastics create Macro problems in Food Webs
Join us as we host a session with the Shaw Institute, which has been conducting coastal monitoring for over 15 years on the Blue Hill Peninsula. Through hands-on activities and discussion, youth will learn how pollutants like plastics and PFAS enter the food chain, and their effects on food webs and ecosystems.
Session 2: November 6, 2025
Urban Farming with Hydroponics
Let’s talk about where our food comes from and how it is produced! Join Tess Hureau from the Cooperative Extension Office in Hancock County as she introduces urban farming with hydroponics: help reduce climate change by significantly cutting down on food transport emissions, conserving water, and reducing land use. Through hands-on experiences, youth will explore alternative food growing systems.
Session 3: February 5, 2026
Dig Into the Maine Potato Industry and Variety Tasting!
Sustainable Agriculture Educator Brett Johnson will present an exploration of potato production in Maine followed by a tasting workshop describing the science behind what makes the perfect potato for each style of preparation. Participants will have the opportunity to taste new potato varieties.
Register here
Session 4: March 5, 2026
Maine Maple Sugaring: A Sweet Season
Join us as we welcome Jason Lilley, Assistant Extension Professor and Sustainable Agriculture and Maple Industry Educator for Maine Cooperative Extension. We will examine what makes the Maine Maple Sugaring industry one of the best in the world, challenges producers face and experience the sweetness for ourselves with taste testing.
Register here
Session 5: April 2, 2026
It’s Wild! Explore the Maine Blueberry Industry.
With special guest Paul Sweetland of Union, a life-long producer of Maine wild blueberries, we will look into the history, changing industry and plants, and new ways of thinking about land use challenges of Maine Wild Blueberry production. We will also taste and compare wild and highbush blueberries and the different uses for each.
Register here
Session 6: May 7, 2026
The Magic of Wool: What can you do with it?
Join us as we investigate the many uses of wool with Ted Bridge-Koenigsberg from Sebago Elementary School, teacher of Ag in the Classroom, and 4-H leader of the Cumberland County Sheep Club. We will explore the many ways of processing the fiber and it’s uses with hands on activities integrating art, science, and social studies!
Register here
Register Online
For more information or a reasonable accommodation, please contact Karen Giles at the Waldo County UMaine Extension office at 207.342.5971 or karen.giles@maine.edu.
This program is brought to you by Waldo County 4-H working in collaboration with the Belfast Free Library.
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).