4-H News in Washington County – August 2025
Dates to Remember
August 15: 4-H Science Fridays: Blueberries
August 15: Register Exhibits for “Sow Your Sparks” Washington County Fair
August 15: Big E Ruby Morris 4-H Scholarship Deadline
August 23 & 24: Washington County Fair
September 26: 4-H Science Fridays: Fall Phenology
October: Conservation Careers 4-H Club begins
October 30: Project Records Due
November 28 – December 2: 4-H Congress in Atlanta, GA
“Sow Your Sparks” Washington County Fair Exhibit reminders
REMINDER that all 4-H youth who are submitting projects to the Washington County Fair 4-H Exhibit need to register their exhibits by Friday, August 15. You can do so on our “Sow Your Sparks” Exhibit webpage. Don’t forget to attach an Exhibit Card to each project! Exhibit cards are available at the Washington County Cooperative Extension Office. Projects can be dropped off at the Washington County Cooperative Extension office on Thursday, August 21 by 4:00 p.m. OR at the fairgrounds (222 Old County Rd, Pembroke) on Friday, August 22 between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Projects can be picked up on Sunday, August 25 at the fairgrounds between 2-3 p.m. OR can be taken back to the Extension office to be picked up at another time.
Please reach out to Gabby Brodek or Tara Wood with any questions at gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu or tara.a.wood@maine.edu, or call the office at 207.255.3345.
Washington County 4-H Photography Contest
Thank you to all our 4-H’ers who submitted photographs to the annual 4-H Photo Contest! Submitted photos will be displayed at the Washington County Fair on August 23 and 24. In the meantime, we have three community members who have volunteered their time and expertise to judge the photos: Cathy Lookabaugh from Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Robert (Bob) McCollum from Roque Bluffs Community Center, and Fern Hilyard, who is the Marketing and Communications Assistant at Washington Academy. We thank them for their contributions to make this contest possible!
Project Records Due October 30th
As youth work on their projects for the fair, take time to reflect on what they have accomplished this year, the skills they have learned and the goals they have achieved!
4-H projects help youth…
- Identify and nurture their spark
- Learn and practice goal management skills
- Develop a growth mindset
- Develop self-reflection skills
- Demonstrate skills
Project records are due to the Washington County Cooperative Extension office by Thursday, October 30th. You can find project records on our website, or reach out to Gabby Brodek. For cloverbuds (youth ages 5-9) project records are a reflection of their year in 4-H. For juniors and seniors (youth ages 9-18), records are project specific.
4-H’ers Participate in the 4-H Agriculture Challenge
Local youth from the Cobscook Currents 4-H Club recently visited a local butcher as part of the 4-H Ag Challenge. They were given a tour of the facility from where livestock is brought in and humanly dispatched, to the cooler where the meat is instantly chilled, and finally where everything is broken down into specific cuts. They had the opportunity to make homemade chorizo to take home and see the smoker for making bacon and smoked sausages. They were then given the opportunity to ask questions and go over the different cuts of meats for cows, pigs, and chickens.
There is still time to participate in the 4-H Agriculture Challenge! As a special reward for completing the challenge, you will receive a specially designed Maine 4-H Ag Challenge hat! Visit this 4-H Ag Challenge webpage to learn more.
Club Updates
One of our teens completed their 40-hour internship at Downeast Institute (DEI) in Beals last month. DEI is a research laboratory, hatchery and education center that welcomes the opportunity to have 4-H teens learn about their operations and explore potential careers. This teen spent their week helping at the oyster farm, preparing ropes for mussel production, cleaning equipment, and learning the ins-and-outs of hatchery operations.
The Conservation Career Club volunteers are planning for another innovative year starting in October 2025. If you are interested in joining the Conservation Career Club please contact Gabby Brodek, 4-H Youth Development Professional, at gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu or 207.255.3345.
We see evidence of our productive marine ecosystems all the time. We see wrack lines on the beach, the lines of seaweed that accumulate when the tides deposit seaweed, shells and other marine life. You may find empty urchin or crab shells while exploring the Maine coast. In July, youth got to discover different types of seaweed found in Maine by using pocket microscopes to look closely at epoxied samples. Youth noticed that one type of seaweed looked like the Spanish moss hanging from a tree on the University of Maine at Machias campus, so they took their microscopes outside to compare. We wrapped up the Science Friday program by learning about what events impact the delicate balance of marine ecosystems by playing themed Jenga.
Join us on August 15 to learn about blueberries and pollination! Youth will take on the role of bees, grabbing pollen to pollinate flowers at different stations. Visit the 4-H Science Friday webpage to see more information and to register.
News from the State
Skip the Stress – Get Into College with 4-H Direct Admissions!
Great news for Maine 4-H high school juniors and seniors: applying to college just got a whole lot easier. With 4-H Direct Admissions, you can be automatically considered for admission to all seven of Maine’s Public Universities—no Common App, no test scores, no essays, no recommendations, and no application fees required!
If you’re enrolled in any 4-H program in Maine, you’re eligible. Just click to opt in, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Click here to opt in. We will do the rest.
Click here to learn more about 4-H Direct Admissions
This is your future—made simple. #BeyondReady
Big E Ruby Morris 4-H Scholarship
Every two years Maine has the opportunity to select an Eastern States Exposition participant to receive a $500 scholarship towards continuing his or her education beyond high school, and this is one of our years!
This is a scholarship that was established by The Morris Family who are longtime concessionaires at ESE. A total of three $500 scholarships are awarded each year. In 2025 and future odd-numbered years, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont will each name a scholarship recipient. In even-numbered years, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut name a scholarship recipient.
Visit the website for all information about applying. Materials must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2025. If you have any questions, contact Jessy Brainerd at 207.581.3877 or jessica.brainerd@maine.edu.
Maine 4-H Celebrates “The Year of Youth in Agriculture” with New Ag Challenge
The state of Maine has officially declared 2025 as “The Year of Youth in Agriculture,”an exciting initiative to highlight the vital role young people play in the future of our state’s agricultural landscape. In celebration of this significant declaration, Maine 4-H is thrilled to encourage all our members to delve deeper into the rich and diverse world of Maine agriculture.
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Maine 4-H as well as the economy and heritage of our state, offering a vast array of unique and rewarding opportunities, from traditional farming and livestock management to innovative food production, sustainable practices, and agricultural technology. This is the perfect time for our 4-H members to explore the many facets of this dynamic industry.
To help you do just that, Maine 4-H is launching the 4-H Ag Challenge! This special challenge is designed to guide members through an exploration of the unique and vast opportunities within Maine agriculture. To complete the challenge, members must complete activities from each section, with the number of required activities varying by age group:
Cloverbud (ages 5-8): 2 activities per section
Junior (ages 9-13): 3 activities per section
Senior (ages 14-18): 4 activities per section
4-H Ag Challenge Download (PDF)
Once you’ve completed your activities, please return the form to the 4-H Ag Leadership team at extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu or to your local UMaine Extension office. As a special reward for completing the challenge, you will receive a specially designed Maine 4-H Ag Challenge hat! Prizes will be mailed to those who complete the challenge. This challenge will run through the entirety of 2025, giving you plenty of time to explore!
If you have any questions please contact: Megan Cook, 4-H Youth Development Professional, Aroostook County, megan.cook@maine.edu or 207.532.6548.