4-H News in Washington County – November 2020
Dates to Remember
Thursdays– Virtual Teen Science Cafes
Nov. 9-30– 4-H Legos Club
Nov. 11: Office Closed- Veteran’s Day
Nov. 18, Dec. 16 and Jan. 20: “4-H for All” Club
Nov. 20: Career Opportunities in Animal and Public Health CDC Webinar
Nov. 25: Deadline for Reenrollment Paperwork
Nov. 26 & 27: Office Closed-Thanksgiving
Dec. 11: Career Opportunities in Animal and Public Health CDC Webinar
Dec. 25: Office Closed- Christmas
Dec. 31: Final Deadline for Reenrollment Paperwork
Dec. 31: Deadline for Volunteers to Complete Background Check
Thank you all for celebrating National 4-H Week with us in October! Congratulations to the winners of the drawings. Prizes have been mailed. We hope you followed along and got to know our new 4-H Youth Development Professional, Brittany Foster.
A Washington County afterschool program has been using the Rockets to the Rescue STEM toolkit in their programming! 4-H STEM Toolkits provide an experiential learning opportunity for youth by providing materials needed to successfully complete science-based activities. Groups and youth develop an interest in science through hands-on learning. Youth learn life skills by completing these projects. They can study the process of science, engineering, and technology while working as a team to ensure the success of their project. To learn more, visit the 4-H STEM Toolkits website. The Washington County office has several of the kits on hand, please contact Brittany Foster, brittany.foster@maine.edu to discuss.
4-H is offering a new club for youth ages 5–19 who are new or interested in becoming 4-H members. Meetings will be held from 6–7 p.m. starting Nov. 18 and continuing Dec. 16 and Jan. 20.
The “4-H for All” club is a way for youth and families to learn about 4-H and connect with others across Maine. Youth will choose a project of their own to complete and discover how to become more involved in Maine 4-H.
The club is free to join; registration is required. Register on the 4-H for All webpage to receive the meeting link. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Sara King, 207.743.6329; sara.king@maine.edu.
In-person Programming Reminders
The University of Maine continues to have the following rules regarding in-person programs for youth, led by volunteers.
• The total number of people in attendance is 20.
• Programs can occur indoors but not in people’s homes and there must be adequate space for 20 people.
Volunteers, please check the website for information on restarting in-person programming and club meetings. You must fill out the program restart form and wait for approval from the 4-H Youth Development Professional, Brittany Foster.
With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Washington County, it is important to remember not to attend meetings if you are not feeling well.
Checklist for 4-H Club Volunteers
Re-enrollment Forms and Insurance
All 4-H members and volunteers should have received their re-enrollment materials by now. If you have not, please contact Tara Wood at 255-3345 or by email at tara.a.wood@maine.edu. The preferred deadline to submit forms to the office is Wednesday, November 25 and the final deadline is Thursday, December 31. REMINDER: Don’t forget to include your $1.00 for insurance for each member and leader. ($2.00 for those enrolled in horse projects.) Some clubs pay this for their members from their treasury.
Why Re-enroll in 4-H?
• To be eligible for all 4-H programs, projects, and events such as but not limited to: 4-H Public Speaking, 4-H Summer Learning Series, 4-H Exhibit Halls, 4-H Entrepreneur workshops, 4-H Club and Independent membership, and much more!
• To take advantage of experiential and financial opportunities unique to 4-H’ers such as: National 4-H trips, Scholarships, Awards, and more!
• To be eligible to participate in 4-H livestock shows and exhibit halls at fairs.
• To continue receiving your Washington County 4-H Newsletter to stay informed and connected.
• To connect with the trusted resources of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, especially important during challenging times.
• Because 4-H provides an opportunity for all youth to pursue their passions, explore their sparks, and build community.
• Because it’s an incredible positive youth development program at NO COST TO YOU!
4-H Volunteer Background Checks Reminder
4-H volunteers, please remember the deadline for completing the required background check is December 31st. A background check is required if you have not had one within the last three years. Please let Tara Wood know if you need the online form sent to you again by calling 255.3345 or emailing tara.a.wood@maine.edu.
It is important that you let Tara Wood know that you have submitted the form so that it may be processed. There is an online tutorial if you need assistance or please contact the office.
Opportunity to learn about jobs in animal health and public health
Maine CDC is hosting two webinars for youth that are interested in learning about career opportunities in animal and/or public health. This is geared toward middle and high school students. This will provide youth an opportunity to get to meet some of our epidemiologists and veterinarians, learn about what they do, and have some time to ask questions. Please share widely among youth.
- The first one will be held Friday, November 20th from 4-5 p.m. remotely on zoom. Registration is required: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAud-qrqTwqHNYJCSK7UGGo0NQ9iijrjU8J
- The second one will be held Friday, December 11th from 4-5 p.m. remotely on zoom. Registration is required: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwqd-uqpzoiHNxMC7xMFkUGD0BQJR7zBoBT
- After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
TSC Paper Clover Campaign Results
The Tractor Supply Co. Paper Clover Campaign was a success, even though we were not able to go to the stores to promote 4-H this year due to COVID restrictions. Store customers donated $6,225 statewide! The funds raised will be used to support youth in leadership experiences and camp scholarships. Please be sure to thank TSC for their on-going support of 4-H!
News from the State
4-H Virtual Teen Science Cafes for Fall 2020
This fall, join us on Thursdays from 3:30 – 4:30 pm, as we meet with cool presenters and learn about their research and pathway to UMaine! This November, we have a great assortment of topics including Fish Behavior on November 5th, Electrical Engineering on November 12th, and Engineers Without Borders on November 19th – future topics will be listed on the website, if you have a suggestion for a topic – please email Alice Philbrick. Register today!
Every Wednesday, you have the opportunity to participate in The University of Vermont’s VTeen Science Exploration – these are a similar format and run from 3:30 – 4:45 pm. On their announcements page, scroll down to VTeen Science Exploration for details about the different offerings, and registration links. To view spring session webinars, visit the website.
Virtual National Youth Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summit Applications for 2021 are Available Now!
The National Youth Summits on Agri-Science and Healthy Living will be held virtually this year allowing us to add more youth to our teams. Attendees will learn more about their area of interest by attending interactive workshops, and pitching their own action plan ideas. The Summits were created to empower youth to be well-informed citizens, expand engineering and agriculture experience, and increase connections to living a healthy lifestyle, all while being actively engaged in their communities.
Healthy Living: February 11 – 14, 2021
Agri-Science: March 4 – 7, 2021
Eligibility: Youth ages 14-18, enrolled in 4-H by December 31, 2020 – this year youth may enroll in Maine 4-H solely in order to attend the Summits and participate on the team.
Cost: $75.00 – we are currently working on funding sources and expect the participant cost to be closer to $25.00 per youth.
Application: Maine 4-H Summit Series Application – This is a combined application for both the Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summits. Please note that references are not required this year. For more information about the National Youth Summits please visit the website. or check out the application for more details. Email or call Sara, conant@maine.edu, 207-781-6099, with any questions. Applications are due by December 11, 2020.
4-H Le
gos Club- Calling all creators, builders, and Lego fans! You are invited to join the 4-H virtual lego club, a place to show off your creations, challenge your skills, and perhaps meet a new friend or two! Each week you will be challenged to create a build based on a theme. We will share our creations, provide feedback, and connect with other kids across the state. This is open to youth ages 8 – 15, space is limited to 12 youth. Mondays from 2:00 – 3:00 pm – November 9, 16, 23, 30
To register: 4-H Lego Club Registration