Conservation Career 4-H Club

youth using a net Youth exploring the outdoors at the Conservation Career Club meeting. 4-H youth uses lopers to cut brush.

Conservation Career 4-H Club is a year-long club program designed to help Washington County youth ages 14-17 explore conservation career fields, build relationships with industry professionals, gain clarity on their aspirations, and foster a connection to place. 

Goals/Benefits of Participation | Schedule | Instructors | Cost |Registration | More Information | Non-discrimination Statement

Goals/Benefits of Participation 

  • Help youth gain real-life experience necessary to make informed decisions about their future and provide insights to help guide post-secondary pursuits 
  • Connect their developing interests and passions to real-world employment experiences 
  • Highlight career paths within Washington County 
  • Increase access to career and post-secondary opportunities in conservation-related fields 
  • Foster the next generation of conservation stewards 
  • Help build a climate literate generation
  • Upon completion of Maine Career Exploration paperwork, participants will be paid up to 75-hours for participation in the club and internship work. 
  • Over the Summer of 2026, participants will have the opportunity to complete a paid 40-hour internship to further explore a conservation career in their interested field. 

Schedule 

The club will meet year-round, starting in November, 2025. Each month you will have the opportunity to participate in a site visit that will take place during school hours, youth will be able to leave school for these educational experiences, with teacher permission. 

The club will meet on the following Fridays:

  • November 21, 2025
  • December 12, 2025
  • January 9, 2026
  • February 6, 2026
  • March 20, 2026
  • April 3, 2026

Instructors

Gabrielle Brodek, 4-H Youth Development Professional, University of Maine Cooperative Extension 

Cathy Lookabaugh, Community Outreach Manager for Washington County, Maine Coast Heritage Trust

Matt Kelley, Outreach Director for Downeast Coastal Conservancy 

Cost

Free, registration required. Maximum of ten participants.

Registration

Registration deadline: Monday, November 3, 2025

Conservation Career 4-H Club

Name

More Information

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Gabby Brodek, 4-H Youth Development Professional, 207.255.3345 or gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu. 

This is a collaboration between

UMaine Extension 4-H logo

Maine Coast Heritage Trust logo 

Downeast Coastal Conservancy Logo

Non-discrimination Statement

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).