York County 4-H Clover Connection March 2025
York County 4-H Clover Connection March 2025
Fun Fact: Don’t forget to SPRING ahead!
March 9 is the start of Daylight Saving Time, which begins at 2:00 A.M. that day. Don’t forget to “spring forward” and set the clocks one hour ahead, or you may find yourself an hour late to everything!
Learn More about Daylight Saving Time on the Farmers Almanac:
County News
York County 4-H Leaders Association Meeting
March 11, 2025 6:30pm in the Extension Office
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://maine.zoom.us/j/85214893115
Or Telephone: US: +1 305 224 1968 Meeting ID: 852 1489 3115
Speak Up, York County 4-H!
Please note that the date has been changed to March 15, 2025 10am in the historic
courtroom at the Extension Office, 45 Kennebunk Rd, Alfred. Light refreshments will be
provided for participants and their families.
Register by March 10th to participate: https://forms.gle/McQ4vuT6ZZb4UPpn6
The State showcase is scheduled for Saturday, April 5th at the UMaine Campus in
Orono.
Camp Scholarships
Available to enrolled 4-H members! These scholarships can be used for non-4H camps too! Complete the application attached to this email by April 2nd. Please contact Erin if you have any questions. erin.mcdonald1@maine.edu
https://extension.umaine.edu/york/resource/york-county-campership-application-2025/
4-H Exhibit Hall Novelty Item 2025
This year, the novelty item will be DIY birdfeeders! Help feed our feathered friends by providing them with a healthy treat in a feeder made by you! You can use upcycled materials, items from nature, craft supplies, and even a tea cup! Check out this website for more ideas: https://www.bakerross.co.uk/craft-ideas/search?s=bird+feeder The 2025 Exhibit Hall Guidelines, including information about this year’s novelty item will be available soon!
Last year’s novelty item was DIY pet toys/supplies that were donated to the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk. Thank you to everyone who contributed!
Club News
Four Leaf Clover 4-H Club – Leaders Else Cook, Jennifer Azara
Kidding Around – Leaders Debbi Cole, Nathan Cole
Little Falls 4-H Club – Leaders Barbara Peterson, Nancy Van Tassell, Cheryl L’Heureux
Nature Kids – Leader Jackie Lipsky
Pollinator Protectors – Leader Carolyn Reece
S.T.A.M.P.S – Leader Alicia Paley
York County Beef Club – Leaders Ann Boucher, Diane Qualey
York County Shepherds – Leaders Donna Flint, Kristi Maling
Volunteer and Leader News
If you (or someone you know) would be interested in volunteering to help setup, breakdown, judge, etc for upcoming events please fill out this event volunteer form. Older youth are welcome to volunteer to help as well.
York County 4-H Leaders Association Meeting
March 11 at 6:30pm in the Extension Office conference room or via Zoom
State 4-H News
March 2025
Save the Date – 4-H Summer Learning Series
This year, the 4-H Summer Learning Series will take place from July 7 – August 8. Volunteers and staff work together to provide high-quality, hands-on, experiential learning experiences via Zoom. For most workshops, materials are mailed to participants ahead of time, making it even easier (and less expensive) to participate! Workshops and Registration will go live on May 23, 2025. For volunteers interested in presenting workshops, information will be updated in early March. Sign up for updates on our website.
4-H Page Day in Augusta – Sign up Now!
Date: March 18, 2025
Where: Augusta Maine State Legislature
Time: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Deadline: First come, first serve, March 7
If you are interested in serving as a page – please complete this form.
An opportunity to participate in 4-H Page Day is being offered on Tuesday, March 18. It is Maine Agriculture Policy Day in the Maine Legislature, a time dedicated to celebrating the hardworking farmers, producers, and agricultural leaders who sustain Maine’s economy and rural heritage. It’s also a time for youth to get actively involved in their democracy, to see how and who makes decisions that impact our state, and to be involved in that process themselves. 4-Hers age 13 or older are encouraged to serve as Honorary Pages. The Maine 4-H program has up to 20 slots for Honorary Pages and registration is first come, first serve with a deadline of March 7.
What does a page do? Legislators are constantly communicating and making decisions while in session and pages make that communication possible. Pages hand out information packets or place the paper information on their desks. Pages will also run communication and documents directly from legislator to legislator. It’s fast paced and pages will be moving around the chambers quite a bit, taking direction from the Clerks. We will meet at 8:30 for pictures and an orientation. Then at 9:00am we will divide our group with one going to the House and the other to the Senate where each group will receive their instructions. Session will begin by 10:00am and will likely conclude around 12:30pm, but the timing is never certain. Lunch will be on your own.
If you have questions or would like to request an accommodation please do so by March 7 by contacting Karen Giles, giles@maine.edu .Thank you!
Penobscot and Piscataquis County Speak Up, Maine 4-H!
The Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties’ Speak Up, Maine 4-H! Public Speaking Showcase will be held at Central Hall Commons, 152 East Main St, Dover-Foxcroft on March 15 at 1:00 pm (with a snow date of March 16 at 1:00 pm). Enrolled youth must register to participate by March 7, 2025 via ZSuite (you must be logged into ZSuite to go to the registration page): https://4h.zsuite.org/event-registrations/34969
For more information, contact Trisha Smith at smith1@maine.edu
Public Speaking – Save the Date
The state Public Speaking event has a new name! Speak Up, Maine 4-H! A Public Speaking Showcase will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the University of Maine
in Orono. The snow date is Sunday, April 6. Stay tuned for events and details on our website Please contact your local county office for information about your local events happening soon.
Become a 4-H Tick Project Mentor!
We are looking for volunteers to guide youth in learning about ticks and community science through the 4-H Tick Project.
Mentors will:
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- Facilitate hands-on learning experiences through 4-H activities in classrooms, after-school programs, and/or community events.
- Model tick collection protocols and identification techniques.
- Share best practices for tick safety with young people.
- Make a valuable contribution to their communities.
No prior experience with tick science is required. The training will provide all the necessary knowledge and resources. This opportunity requires volunteers to work with educators and youth in various learning environments, including outdoors in tick habitat.
For more details and to register for the training, please visit: extension.umaine.edu/hancock/tick-project/volunteer.
The deadline to register for the training is March 30, 2025.
Summer Camp at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove
Registration for Summer Programs at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove 4-H Camps is now open! We would love to see you at one of our 4-H Camps this summer! 1 and 2-week overnight camps, day camps, outdoor trips, and teen leadership camps are open for anyone to attend. This is a great opportunity to diversify your 4-H experience and continue building awesome skills. Scholarships are available from the Camps and the 4-H Foundation to help with tuition costs.
Some sessions fill up fast! To start planning your summer experience, please check out the program pages on our website which have more information and dates. We are excited to welcome you to the Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove Family! For questions, please email or call Emma at the contact information below.
Website: umaine.edu/tanglewood
Email: extension.tanglewood4h@maine.edu
Phone: 207.789.5868
4-H Volunteer Connections: Register Today!
We are offering THREE virtual interactive sessions this winter for all 4-H volunteers! Join us for regional training and networking opportunities with 4-H volunteers from our 13 states in the North East Region! Session topics include the following:
– Growing Beyond the Ribbon – March 19, 2025 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm
To read more about each session and register, go to this link! https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteer-connections/
Sign up for one, two, or all three! Sessions are free, but you must register! Questions? Reach out to Jen Lobley at lobley@maine.edu We hope to see you there!
2025 Engineering Week Expo
The Maine Engineering Promotional Council (MEPC) Engineering Expowill be held Saturday, March 8th from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the University of Maine Field House in Orono. This family-friendly FREE event invites the community to explore the world of engineering through demonstrations and hands-on activities. The 4-H Science and Engineering Center will be there along with Maine engineering firms, schools, government agencies, and societies who are invested in engaging young minds in career pathways involving engineering. For more information on the Engineering Expo please go to the website: https://www.engineeringme.com/expo.
Maine Science Festival
The Maine Science Festivalwill be held March 19-23 times TBD in February at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. This FREE event includes a Field Trip Day for 7th- 8th graders, a Teen Tech Night, and Exploration Stations that include demonstrations and hands-on activities involving the sciences. Be sure to put it on your calendar because it really is a fun event! For more information on the Maine Science Festival please go to the website: https://www.mainesciencefestival.org/.
Explore Maine’s Aquaculture Industry with Virtual Field Trips from 4-H
Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) are an innovative way for youth to explore and learn about places and people that would otherwise be infeasible! These immersive, online experiences bring Maine’s thriving aquaculture industry to life—no travel required.
Accessible at no cost, the Virtual Field Trips are designed to break down geographical and financial barriers, making high-quality, hands-on learning available to all. Register online to receive a link to the VFTs. Each field trip also comes with complementary 4-H activity guides and lesson plans to help facilitate meaningful engagement with youth.
The first VFT currently available features the University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR), a large-scale, land-based aquaculture facility in Franklin, Maine. Additional virtual field trips are in development and will be rolled out throughout 2025 and 2026. These experiences offer insight into seafood production, workforce development, career exploration, and STEM concepts related to aquaculture technologies.
To register for a virtual field trip, visit umaine.edu/hancock/aquaculture/vft.
For more information: contact Carla Scocchi, 4-H Youth Development Professional, carla.scocchi@maine.edu.
4-H Science Toolkits
Maine 4-H has a lending library of 4-H Science toolkits. These come with activities and materials around a variety of topics. Recent additions include:
– eBird Explorers, exploring Ornithology for Cloverbuds
– Harmful and Shifting Species, which examines species impacting the Maine coast
– Power Protectors, which involves exploring energy use and an introduction to renewable energy through engineering design challenges.
Reach out to your local 4-H staff person or email 4-HScience@maine.edu to make a reservation or with any questions.