4-H News in Washington County – May 2024
Table of Contents
Dates to Remember
Register for 4-H Science Fridays
Paper Clover Campaign
Annual Washington County 4-H Photo Contest
June Jamboree
4-H Camp and Learning Centers Scholarship Available
Washington County Fair T-Shirt Contest
Congrats to 4-H’ers who participated in Maine 4-H Public Speaking Tournament
Oh Yea 4-H Grows True Leaders
Cloverbud 4-H Club
Cobscook Currents 4-H Club
4-H Science Friday-Eclipse Investigations
News from the State
Dates to Remember
May 1: Equine ESE Intent forms Due
May 11: Washington County Extension Association Annual Meeting
May 20: Washington County Fair T-shirt Contest Deadline
May 22&29: Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey Training
May 24: 4-H Science Friday-Vernal Pools
June 5: Fryeburg Market Lamb Intent to Participate Deadline
June 14-15: June Jamboree at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds
June 14: 4-H Camp and Learning Center Scholarship Deadline
June 15: Pride 2024, Portland
June 21: 4-H Science Friday-Ag and Ecology 101, Part 1
June 20-27: Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF), Washington D.C.
July 19-21: Maine 4-H Days
July 26: Washington County 4-H Photo Contest Deadline
July 26: 4-H Science Friday- Ag and Ecology 101, Part 2
August 16: 4-H Science Fridays- Blueberries
Register for 4-H Science Fridays
Summer registration is open for 4-H Science Fridays! To learn more about the upcoming programs and register, visit the website.
Here are the programs:
- Ag and Ecology 101, Part 1 – June 21, 3-4:30 p.m.
- Ag and Ecology 101, Part 2 – July 26, 3-4:30 p.m.
- Blueberries – August 16, 3-4:30 p.m.
Thank you to all who contributed to making this Spring’s Tractor Supply Company Paper Clover Campaign a success! We continue to be grateful for our partnership with TSC. 100 percent of the proceeds of this campaign go directly to 4-H programs, with 90 percent going back to the state in which it was raised. In Washington County, we use these funds to provide local 4-Hers with scholarships, for camp, national trips and 4-H opportunities.
Annual Washington County 4-H Photography Contest
Pull out those cameras and start snapping away! You have plenty of time to practice your skills and decide on which photos you would like to enter into the contest this year.
This contest is open to all Washington County, Maine 4-H Members. Submissions are due Friday, July 26th at the Extension office. Find more information about the contest, guidelines and more at this website.
We know it has been a while, but June Jamboree is making its way back to Hancock County. The 2024 June Jamboree will be held on June 14-15 at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds. Washington County 4-H’ers, plan to camp with us on the fairgrounds on the 14th, and wake ready to participate in fun-filled workshops and activities on the 15th! Workshops will include hands-on crafts, engineering, and animal science. The “Anytime Science” and “Anytime Craft” tables will be running between workshops all day on Saturday, June 15 – be sure to stop by to explore! Priority registration will be to 4-Her’s from May 1st through May 15th, before opening up to everyone from May 15th through May 31st!
4-H Camp and Learning Centers Scholarship Available
We currently have one scholarship remaining to attend camp at one of the 4-H Camp and Learning Centers in Maine. Youth must currently be enrolled in the Washington County 4-H Program and registered for camp. Please complete the 4-H Camp Scholarship request form by June 14, 2024 to apply. This is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. This scholarship is in addition to ones being provided by the 4-H Camp and Learning Centers.
Washington County Fair T-shirt Contest
Is drawing your spark? Show off your spark by entering the t-shirt design contest for this year’s county fair! Click here for guidelines. Submissions are due to the Pembroke Trotting Association by May 20th.
Congrats to 4-H’ers Who Participated in Maine State 4-H Public Speaking Tournament
On Saturday, April 6th all four Washington County youth who qualified for the Maine State 4-H Public Speaking Tournament presented their talks at the University of Maine in Orono. Soren D. and Théo M. received blue ribbons, and Ira D. and Ruth B. received red ribbons for their talks. Their accomplishments were celebrated by friends, family and volunteers who accompanied them.
Oh Yea! 4-H Grows True Leaders
Oh Yea! 4-H Grows True Leaders teens led youngsters through a screen printing presentation at Dia De Los Niños in Milbridge on April 20. The annual children’s day festival was started by Oh Yea! 4-H’s community partner, Mano En Mano, but this year they partnered with the Milbridge Public Library to pull off the event. A friend of the library – Brittany Ray-Smith from Youth Matters To Me – made a generous donation of $100 dollars towards t-shirts that the youth printed on at the event. For the sake of space, it was held at the Milbridge Elementary School.
In the month of May, Oh Yea! 4-H will meet with the board members of the Washington County Extension Association on May 11 at the Washington County Association’s annual meeting on the UMaine Machias campus from 10:30 a.m. The teens will discuss the highlights of their trip to Washington D.C. where they attended the 4-H Ignite Teen Summit. Because that day is so busy, half of this Youth Development group will attend the open house while the other half will greet families at Mano En Mano’s Mother’s Day event in Milbridge taking place at the same time.
Finally, our colleagues at Maine 4-H Camps are applying funds from the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grant to our program so that all the members from each Oh Yea! 4-H location around the state can have an overnight stay at Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center on May 25 – 27. This is a great opportunity for each Oh Yea! 4-H location to come together and share in the diversity of each other’s cultures.
This new 4-H club is starting off strong! Designed for Cloverbuds (youth ages 5-9 years old), this club meets once a month on Saturdays at the Calais Free Library. While we may still be deciding on a club name, we are busy building relationships with each other and participating in hands-on learning! In April, we made May baskets and pinecone bird feeders to put in them. Youth learned what it means to use their hands and hearts by making these baskets for someone they care about in their community.
At an April meeting, eclipse garlands were created by club members. Please remember to take eclipse glasses to the extension office – or take to a regular Club meeting – for repurposing.
Photos submitted by Jane Bell.
Congrats to the members who went to Houston and competed in the First Lego Robotics Tournament! A highlight of the trip was a visit to the NASA Space Center and a tour of the historic Mission Control. Members will be sharing their experience at the Washington County Extension Association Annual Meeting on May 11th at 10:30 a.m. at UMaine Machias. To learn more about the event and sign up, please visit the website.
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Photos submitted by Jen Plaut.
4-H Science Fridays- Eclipse Investigations
In preparation of the April 8th total solar eclipse, youth modeled what happens during a solar eclipse, practiced listening to changing environmental factors, and made their own viewing devices. Youth left with excitement for the big event and an eclipse to-go bag with more eclipse-related activities and viewing glasses.
“Making the viewer was my favorite part” – youth participant.
News from the State
UMaine 4-H Invites You to be a Part of Pride 2024
4-H will be participating in Pride festivities in Portland on June 15, 2024. A pride event is a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, the rights won, and recognition of these individuals as existing and loved members of our communities. 4-H will participate in the parade portion by walking with a banner. Participants should plan on being at the event from noon – 2:30pm.
This event is open to any 4-H member or 4-H volunteer. Friends, family, and 4-H alumni are welcome but must have a 4-H member/volunteer hosting them.
To register or for more information, go to this webpage. If you have questions you can email 4-hpride@maine.edu.
4-H Market Lamb Intent for Fryeburg Fair
Youth planning to participate in the Market Lamb program at Fryeburg Fair need to submit the 2024 Fryeburg Fair Market Lamb Intent form by June 5th. An online form is available, otherwise youth can print and mail a copy downloaded from the 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. 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, homeschool groups, and more. For more information and to register, visit the 4-H Tick Project webpage.
Save the Date: Maine 4-H Days is Happening in 2024!
Where: Windsor Fairgrounds, Windsor, Maine
When: Friday evening, July 19 – Saturday, July 20. Animal Science tracks are being scheduled from Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21.
Registration for the event for 4-H’ers and their families will be opening in mid-May. More information is coming soon. We can’t wait to see you there!
Do you know someone interested in becoming a 4-H Volunteer? Tell them about Start Your 4-H Journey!
University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer a two-part online informational session for adults interested in becoming Maine 4-H volunteers on May 22 & 29 from 6 – 7 p.m. “Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey” will provide participants with information about the UMaine Extension 4-H youth development program through four short e-Learning modules. Attendees will also participate in an experimental learning activity, learn about the key aspects of positive youth development, and be introduced to ages and stages of youth. The two one-hour virtual sessions will wrap up with an outline of next steps and an introduction to a county staff contact to help with the application process if desired.
Registration is required. The sessions are free. To register, visit our website.
For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Jennifer Lobley, jennifer.lobley@maine.edu, 207.255.3345.