4-H News in Washington County – August 2026
Dates to Remember
August 2-12: Early College Outdoor Intensives at Greenland Point 4-H Camp and Learning Center
August 12: Partial Solar Eclipse
August 13: ESE Working Steer Tryouts: at Skowhegan Fair
August 21: 4-H Science Friday, Washington Academy Garden
August 21: Washington County Fair Exhibit Registration Due Date
August 29 & 30: Washington County Fair
September 11: 4-H Science Friday, Catapults
September 12: Tri-County Greenland Point Camp Day
September 15: 2027 Ignite by 4-H Maine Team Application Deadline
September 19, 26 & October 5: Power Protectors: 4-H STEM Challenge
October 17: Maine 4-H Day at UMaine Football
November 7: Maine 4-H Volunteer Summit
4-H Photo Contest Results
First, thank you to our three wonderful judges for taking the time to volunteer their time and expertise to provide feedback to each youth and spread the spark of photography.
Photos will be on display at the Machias Arts Center from Thursday, August 6 – Thursday, August 27. Then, they head to the Washington County Fair Saturday & Sunday, August 29 & 30.
If 4-H youth would like the opportunity to submit one of their photos for display at the Big E, please forward the digital image file to tara.a.wood@maine.edu by August 19.
Judge’s Choice Awards
- Blooming Radiance by Peyton Rollins
- Fishing Time and Sunset by Theo Messin
4-H Activity Category
- Spelling 4-H by Nora Brown– Red Ribbon
- Fishing Time by Theo Messin, Blue Ribbon, Junior Top Blue in Category, Judge’s Choice
Action Category
- Serenity by Ira Danielson, Blue Ribbon, Top Blue in Category
- Showcasing my Spark by Soren Danielson, Red Ribbon
Animal Category
- My Cat Maple by Nora Brown-Red Ribbon
- Contents of Trout: Lower Hudson Pond by Ira Danielson, Red Ribbon
- Is this thing on?! by Soren Danielson, Participation Ribbon
- 26″ Pickerel by Theo Messin, Red Ribbon
- Luna in the Flowers by Lux McGivery, Cloverbud Participation Ribbon
Architecture Category
- Head Harbor Lighthouse by Nora Brown-Red Ribbon
- Eyes of flame by Ira Danielson, Red Ribbon
- Good Night Moon by Soren Danielson, Blue Ribbon, Top Blue in Category
- Lit Up Room by Theo Messin, Red Ribbon
Nature/Landscape Category
- Dark-eyed Junco by Nora Brown-Blue Ribbon, Junior Second Blue in Category
- Aerial View of Mt. Katahdin by Ira Danielson, Blue Ribbon
- Ducks at the Reflecting Pool by Soren Danielson, Blue Ribbon, Senior Second Blue in Category
- Sunset by Theo Messin, Blue Ribbon, Junior Top Blue in Category, Judge’s Choice
- Blooming Radiance by Peyton Rollins, Blue Ribbon, Senior Top Blue in Category, Judge’s Choice
- The Big Tree by Lux McGivery, Cloverbud Participation Ribbon
People Category
- Serenity by Ira Danielson, Blue Ribbon, Junior Top Blue in Category
- A Summer Birthday by Soren Danielson, Blue Ribbon, Senior Top Blue in Category
Storyboard Category
Your Carriage, Sir by Ira Danielson, Blue Ribbon, Top Blue in Category
“Harvesting Possibilities” 4-H Exhibit at the Washington County Fair!
Step 1: Register your Washington County Fair exhibition items by Friday, August 21. You can find the exhibit guidelines on the Harvesting Possibilities Exhibit webpage.
Step 2: Drop off projects either at the Cooperative Extension office by Thursday, August 27 by 4pm OR at the fairgrounds on Friday, August 28 from 9am-12pm.
Step 3: Enjoy the fair!
Step 4: Pick up your projects at the fairgrounds on Sunday, August 30 at 3pm OR at the Cooperative Extension office the following week.
Step 5: Celebrate your success!
4-H at the Washington County Fair Schedule
4-H Exhibits: Saturday, August 29 & Sunday, August 30 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Touch Tank: Saturday, August 29 from 12-2 p.m.
Spud Stamping Workshop: Saturday, August 29 from 12-2 p.m.
Flower Hammering: Sunday, August 30 from 9-11 a.m.
4-H at LCOC Robotics Demo: Sunday, August 30 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Some Bunny Loves Me 4-H Club Rabbit Demo: Sunday, August 30 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Visit the Washington County Fair website to learn more about other events happening at the fair.
Tri-County Camp Day at Greenland Point
We are bringing the joy of summer 4-H camp into the fall season! Join 4-H staff, volunteers, and community partners for a day of exploring the wonders of Greenland Point 4-H Camp, where youth ages 5-18 will have the opportunity to rotate through station activities such as archery, species identification on the water, outdoor science, and more. Lunch will be provided. There is a $20 fee for each youth, and registration is required. Registration closes August 28, 2026.
When: Saturday, September 12, 2026 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Registration sign-in begins at 9:30am
Where: Greenland Point 4-H Camp & Learning Center, Princeton, Maine
Who: Youth ages 5-18, *youth ages 5-8 need an accompanying adult
Cost: $20 per youth, adults are free
Registration for adults/volunteers
Club updates
4-H Science Friday
In July, Zach McClimon, Soil and Water Conservation District Manager, fit big-picture geologic processes into the palms of our hands by helping us model how fossils form and how plates move. Then, we took a hike to see evidence of glacial movement from thousands of years ago!
Join us for upcoming sessions:
Friday, August 21 from 3-4:30 p.m.: 4-H Science Friday is hitting the road! We will be meeting at the Washington Academy Community Garden in East Machias to help harvest and care for the garden.
Friday, September 11 from 3-4:30 p.m.: You asked for it–we’re back with building and testing catapults!
To learn more or register, visit the 4-H Science Friday website.
Crafting Clovers
You can’t meet at a library and not read cool new books at club meetings! We started the club meeting with a read aloud of “Famous Seaweed Soup” by Antoinette Truglio Martin and explored the Seaweed Soup Gabby brought from the bay. Youth explored various seaweeds that we have in Maine by playing a memory card game, then got to sample some! This inspired the group to create a collaborative diorama of a seaweed forest that they will enter to the Washington County Fair!
News from the State
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 5 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.
4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!
Developmental Relationships
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?”
Do these look familiar? You may have seen them on the 4-H Thriving model flip cards. Ask your local county 4-H staff for a set if you don’t have one!
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!